In the Summoner's Shadow
by thecat-and-thefiddle
Summary: Braska's family was torn apart, then brought together by an orphan. Wrecked once more, the orphan now strives to fulfill her wish at living together happily forever as a family. Some dreams just don't come true...
1. Part I Chapter I

Hey, guys! Yeah, it's me again! I'm still alive! I just barely got the internet in my own room, thank the Lord! This is based off a role play character I randomly made up, then had surprise help to make her perfect in every way, as far as fitting in the FFX story line goes. This is something my friend, Matt, forced me to do, and I thought it sounded pretty cool, so I'll let ya'll read it. Tell me what you think, and what all I screwed up on. I'm not all that intelegent when it comes to this game, but my two best friends got me addicted to it, so blame it on them! It's all their fault! Anyhow. Here it is. Hope you like it! R&R!

Hoppy Peep-filled Easter!

In the Summoner's Shadow

Part I Chapter 1

**_Once, together we were happy and we were so very young_**;**_sadly now we have been parted_****- ****_leaving me quite broken hearted_****_So many love songs still unsung_**…**_So many things still left to say._****_I did not leave without a care_**, and**_I hope we meet again some day_**.**_I turn around to see you there_****_as though I had not gone away._****_Just listen to me my one and only_****_should you hear a lonely sound_****_Drifting sweet secrets in the breeze;_****_please feel that I am still around_****_I leave you sadly, deeply thinking,_****_this is really not too fair…_****_so very proud at having known you_**,**_finding such sweet love to share._****_We must bow to a higher power_****_when He comes to call us home_**,**_leaving those we love behind us_****_to join us later when they come_**.**_Try to think of me with kindness_**;**_try to think of me with Love_**.**_One day please do come and join me_****_in a happy home above_**

**_(Frank Paylor, Shadow)_**

I don't know what it was that drove me to do it… I mean, come on! It was the middle of the night. It was raining… heavily… it was cold. The rain was turning into slush. Not frozen enough to be snow, just iced enough to be annoying and dangerously slippery. Yet, through all these conditions, I still got up, slapped on my coat, and wandered outside. I personally didn't know where I was going, but my feet seemed to propel themselves, and I was too tired to stop them. I had been up all night, fighting the urge to get up and take a random midnight stroll. Not that I was worried about myself, but this left my little girl at home alone in the deadly weather.  
However, something just wouldn't let me rest until I did as it bade. So, here I was. By myself, my coat frozen to my back, and my feet numb. Shoes… WHY, of all the things I could have forgotten, DID IT HAVE TO BE SHOES! Personally, I would have been happy just to turn around and go back home. In fact I tried to, many times… but nope… my feet would just touch the threshold and immediately turn around and head directly for the same place.  
With a sigh of indignation at my current state and a roll of the eyes, not to mention a sudden willingness of the soul to follow, I let myself be carried by some unseen, yet greatly felt, presence. I passed several buildings and numerous alleys until suddenly, I made a swift turn into an abandoned old something or other… not really sure what it was… it was too dark to see clearly… personally, I don't care what it was… I only care that it was there… and I was inside it… and so was she.  
The feeling that brought me here left as soon as I stepped inside. Strange, I thought, and prepared to leave. A growl behind me caused me to stop and turn away from the door to face a small, what looked like brown wolf staring at me. Great, a fiend, I thought, but then realized it was no threat to me, even in my weaponless condition. It was holding its paw up as if it was injured, and its eyes seemed to plead for relief more than threaten, so I tried to do just that. I walked to it, holding my hand out and wondering where the mother was, the pup was such a small infant. Barely off milk, I guessed, if not still on.  
The pup whimpered and moved away, as if afraid. I tried to tell it I wasn't going to hurt it. A sudden light in its golden eyes seemed to say it understood, and it limped off, turning as if wanting me to follow, so I did. It kept tugging at my pant leg to get me to continue following. A faint cry found my ears, and I needed no more coaxing from the pup. My paternal instincts took over immediately, and I ran towards the pained and frightened sound of a child crying. A small child, as if, like the pup, was either still on, or just barely off milk. Hopefully it was the latter, for it had been quite a while since my dearly beloved's death, and even my own child was fed artificially.  
The crying led me out a door in the back of the building to an alley behind it, where in a small dug out pot hole full of muddy, dirty, bloody and pest infested slush I found the smallest child I had ever seen. It was crying rather loudly. I reached down and picked the infant up, holding it against my chest and wrapping it in my coat, willing to share my body warmth, what little there was, what with the lack of my shoes.  
To this day, I have yet to figure out what sins I had committed to cause Yevon to make me forget my shoes during this ordeal. It shall remain a mystery, as would what caused me to go out that night.  
I found it strange that the pup followed at my heels as I ran back home; even with the limp, it kept up. I didn't think anything of it as I burst through the door, closing it behind me, shutting the pup outside. It immediately started howling, which caused the infant to cry. I laid the infant, her- I found out about here, down on my bed while I changed out of my soaked, cold clothes and dried off, putting on a new set of pajama's and walking over to her, still crying out from either wet, cold, hunger, thirst, fright, illness, fatigue, or any combination of the seven.  
After drying her off and laying her under my covers, I went to the kitchen and made a slop of random fruits I found lying around. I sighed, hoping she wasn't allergic to any of them, like Yuna was. Speaking of Yuna, that's who I found laying on the bed next to the baby when I came back to the room. She looked at me and pointed to the child.  
"Daddy, baby crying!" she alerted me, as if it was something I was unaware of.  
"I know… did she wake you?" I asked, naturally worried more about my own child than this stray I found, though that is a harsh word to use.  
Yuna assured me that it had not been the baby, but the pup outside, who now was locked in her room, scratching at the door. I sighed and encouraged her to try and go back to sleep, but she refused, demanding to see the baby. I allowed her to, letting her sit on my lap and hold the crying child while I helped her try and feed her.  
It didn't work. She was crying too hard to get anything down her throat that she wouldn't choke on. Only if she'd stop for five minutes! Yuna suggested that the baby was tired, and wanted to have her sleep in her bed. I shrugged, not knowing what harm it would do, and allowed it. I sighed, hearing the screaming of the child receding down the hallway to the room where Yuna slept. After a few minutes, the screaming stopped. I blinked, and went to go see what Yuna had done to make it stop. I blinked when I peeked in and saw the pup and the child curled up together, each laying their heads on the other, while sharing a pillow with my little girl.  
"She want puppy!" Yuna explained, pointing.  
I smiled and tried again to feed the infant, keeping her close to the pup who rested in Yuna's admiring and fluff fondling arms while I rested the child's head in the crook of my elbow and scooped the goopy fruit gunk into her mouth, although each time my hand brought the spoon close, she would grab it and pull it in as if I wasn't shoveling fast enough.  
"Daddy, can we keep her?" Yuna asked. I blinked.  
"Well… she has a family somewhere, probably…" I tried to explain. "We should try and help her find it."  
Although to me it sounded kind of odd… why would anyone in any condition leave their own child exposed to the elements and fiends like that? It was wrong, and there was absolutely no excuse for it whatsoever. After little debate with myself, I came to the conclusion that perhaps she was better off with Yuna and me. A broken family was better than no family at all, right?  
"But… I want sister!" Yuna glared up at me with a pouting bottom lip that dared me to defy her. I chuckled a bit and patted her head.  
"Well… alright… but only because you asked so nicely!" I smiled.  
The air was squeezed from my lungs when tiny arms clasped around my chest, almost stapling my respiratory muscles together.  
"Thankyoudaddy! Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou! IloveyouandIloveherandshe'llneverbealonecauseIwon'tlether! IloveyouthankyousomuchthisissogreatIloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyou!"  
I blinked, finding it amazing how fast a child could talk when she was excited and got her way. Huh. Fascinating.  
I had the child a whole twenty minutes from the time I grabbed her from her slushy hole to the time I fed her. Yuna immediately stole her from my arms, declaring her the new baby in the family, and demanded that she would feed her, change her, and take care of her. That was music to my ears, but I knew it wouldn't last long, and was prepared to take over parental duties the very next day. I tucked Yuna and my new nameless daughter in under the covers and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind me and sighing as I leaned against it.  
I said a small silent prayer, then walked to my bed room and collapsed on my bed, falling immediately into a dreamless, deep, dark- not necessarily frightening or evil, just black- sleep. It was the greatest thing I ever experienced.

So, how was it? As good as my others? I hope so. BTW, if you're one of my Child's Play enthusists, I'm working on the next chapter, but I'm having serious writer's block, and I'm out of Dynamite!

Anyhow... push da button!


	2. Part I Chapter II

Wow. Chapter 2! Lookit us go, Matt! Anyhow... I know the last one was kinda weird. I kinda tried to fix it, but it wasn't broken in the first place, so... yeah... anyhow... you know the routine...  
In the great paraphrased and molested to fit my needs words of the big blue lovable hugable kitty we all know and love, "Read Story... Review... Wait for more..."  
Lordy Lu, I love that Kimarhi Kitty!  
(Matt: Smack! Quit being stupid!  
Me: Yes, God!  
Matt: That's right, knave!)

Story! Now! Poof!

(FORSOMEREASONITWON'TLETMEUSESYMBOLSTOSEPERATETHIS)

In the Summoner's Shadow

Part I Chapter 2

**_Once, together we were happy and we were so very young_**; **_sadly now we have been parted_****- ****_leaving me quite broken hearted. _****_So many love songs still unsung_**… **_So many things still left to say. _****_I did not leave without a care_** and**_I hope we meet again some day_**. **_I turn around to see you there_****_as though I had not gone away. _****_Just listen to me my one and only_****_should you hear a lonely sound. _****_Drifting sweet secrets in the breeze; _****_please feel that I am still around. _****_I leave you sadly, deeply thinking,_****_this is really not too fair… _****_so very proud at having known you_**,**_finding such sweet love to share. _****_We must bow to a higher power _****_when He comes to call us home_**, **_leaving those we love behind us_****_to join us later when they come_**. **_Try to think of me with kindness_**; **_try to think of me with Love_**. **_One day please do come and join me _****_in a happy home above_**

**_(Frank Paylor, Shadow)_**

Quite frankly, I was amazed. Up earlier than the sun herself, Yuna and the nameless child were up and running around the house, playing. Of course, the child wasn't, per se, running, but she was holding tight to her brand new big sister and laughing as loud and as joyously as she could.

Not that I minded, actually; I'd rather be woken up by that sound than any other sound. I got up out of bed and walked into the main part of the house where the pup was barking and jumping up and down while the child was giggling and Yuna was holding her up in the air.

"Look, Daddy! She flies!" Yuna giggled. I couldn't help but laugh at this.

"Does she, now?" I asked.

"Yep! Watch! Ready, Sonja?" she asked. The child laughed and clapped her hands. Yuna threw her into the air and caught her when gravity brought her back down. As I watched my brown-haired beauty hugging the new child, I wondered at what she last said.

"You already named her?" I personally thought I sounded as if I was talking about a new pet dog or something like that.

"Yep! Her name is Sonja!" Yuna declared, her one green, one blue eyes illuminated with happiness and delight.

"Well, that's all fine and dandy, but where did you get that name from?" I posed this question expecting a simple answer, but what I received was not what would be considered ordinary.

"I had a dream! There was this bi-i-ig wolf who came in and picked her up and hugged her and called her 'Sonja,' then looked at me and said, 'Take care of my baby girl,' and left! It was awesome! I told him I'd be nice to her and share my toys!"

I could do no more than stand there, staring in amazement. Not that I believed any of this, it's just that it was intriguing how broad and imaginative the mind of a child is, to the point of being able to create stories like that.

"Alright… but don't you want to name her something nicer? Sonja sounds kind of awkward. What about Ella, or Josephine or something?" I suggested.

"No! Not Ella, not Josephine, not Elizabeth, not anything! She's baby Sonja, and she's my baby sister!" Yuna demanded with that bossy voice of hers. A foot stomp signaled the end of this argument, and anything I said would be the start of a whole new argument. I sighed and nodded.

"Fine! If you insist…" I shrugged. "Although, don't you think baby Sonja is a bit hungry? Aren't you hungry?"

"Yeah! We're both hungry!" She nodded. I held my hands out take Sonja and feed her.

"No! My sister! I feed!" Yuna practically barked at me. I stepped back to keep from being bitten from my rabid daughter.

"Alright! Alright! You can feed her!" I laughed.

I picked them both up and hauled them to the kitchen area where I created more of the fruit slop for little Sonja, then fixed a meal for Yuna and I, throwing random scraps to the pup. I almost choked on my breakfast when Sonja jumped from Yuna's arms and shoveled the food into her mouth with her hands.

"Ahh!" Yuna yelped. "Be careful! Don't choke! Wipe your mouth, you sloppy shoopuff!"

I sighed. She sounded so much like her mother. It pained my heart… I walked to the sink and leaned on it, my back turned to my child… ren… child_ren_ now… to make sure they didn't see my shed tears.

Anyhow… after breakfast, we gave Sonja her (quite possibly, and most likely) first bath. She loved the warm water so much, she refused to get out, even when we dumped the wash barrel out and she laid in the puddle on the cold ground, still trying to swim around in it. We washed the pup, too, which was so caked with mud and blood when he followed me home, I mistook him for a brown, almost burgundy furred wolf, but was actually the most beautiful shade of bluish silver I had ever seen.

The poor child, Sonja was covered in mud and blood, also to the point of keeping her true skin tone from showing through. She was pale, paler than perhaps even the moonlight in which I found her. Her eyes were the most unnatural color of honey-like gold. On the back of each hand was a small lump. I really didn't know what it was until I stared at them for a while. They were two stones- bright green emeralds- with small swirls of black in them. I was absolutely confused, but paid no heed to it.

Yuna made a sudden law that I "had no choice" but to put her in an old play outfit my dear love made one time, yet Yuna refused to wear on the account that it made her "look like a guy." However, it made Sonja look positively like she belonged in it. Maybe it was her small muscles, even at this age, which had made me start wondering, what had she gone through, and how old was she really to be that strong?

As my baby girl and my big girl ran out of the house to play with the other kids, I dismissed the thought and looked no further into it. I opened the window so I could listen to them as I finished my breakfast and read a book.

It was quiet, though.

I could not hear either daughter, nor pup, making any noise. I looked out the window, and saw the three of them standing there, staring at the other kids who played in a little group away from them, convinced by their parents that my family was nothing but blasphemers and openly proud of contradicting the teachings of Yevon. I think the parents over looked the fact that I was, myself, a devote Yevonite and a missionary for the very religion I was "contradicting." So what? I fell in love and married a non-Yevonite… an Al-bhed… It didn't change me personally… I'm still the same guy… sorta…

"Another child? Out of whom?" a voice of one parent asked.

"Who knows? Quite possibly a whore or something. You know, they say after his wife died, he hit the bottle. Maybe he got drunk with some random town girl and got her pregnant, and she left the child with him. He deserves it. I would have done the same thing, if I were her." Another parent spoke.

I had to close the window and busy myself with cleaning house before I got so mad at them I did something I would regret.

"Ignore them, Braska…" I commanded myself. "They're not worth it… you know all they speak are lies… don't let yourself get worked up."

I sighed and sat down in my favorite chair, looking out the door and seeing Yuna kneeling on the ground, hugging little Sonja and patting the puppy. My poor girls…

(SOI'MJUSTGONNADOTHISIFYOUKNOWHOWTOUSESYMBOLSTELLME!)

Yeah, I know. Kinda slow as of now... next chapter contains the tragic event I promised! I'm so mean! Blame it on Matt, too!

Anyhow, Love Ya! Review time!


	3. Part I Chapter III

Well, what up, hombre's? The only two or three I actually know read this... sigh... I wish I had other readers! And if you're out there, drop me a review! Hint hint! Here's chapter 3... wrote it while Mattie boy was getting jiggy wid it with his wifey-poo!

* * *

In the Summoner's Shadow

Chapter III Part I

_Once, together we were happy and we were so very young; sadly now we have been parted- leaving me quite broken hearted. So many love songs still unsung… So many things still left to say. I did not leave without a care and I hope we meet again some day. I turn around to see you there as though I had not gone away. Just listen to me my one and only should you hear a lonely sound. Drifting sweet secrets in the breeze; please feel that I am still around. I leave you sadly, deeply thinking, this is really not too fair… so very proud at having known you, finding such sweet love to share. We must bow to a higher power when He comes to call us home, leaving those we love behind us to join us later when they come. Try to think of me with kindness; try to think of me with Love. One day please do come and join me in a happy home above_

_(Frank Paylor, Shadow)_

Over the next couple years, I delighted in watching my two beautiful little girls grow into tiny, delicate flowers of radiant brilliance… then again, what parent doesn't think these things about his babies? I was so proud of them! I never really worried much… I mean, Sonja always protected Yuna from everything, including the horrible, evil, rabid dust bunnies at cleaning day. Yuna, in her turn, advised Sonja about the battles she picked. Sometimes, if push came to shove, she would run home and get me for help… like the time long ago… the incident that tore our little family apart at the seams…

That day, even as I woke up, I was plagued by a horrible feeling… much like the one I felt the night I found Sonja, except this one was forbidding me instead of compelling me. However, I allowed the two of them to go play outside. The entire time they were out, I kept fighting against this feeling to call them back. What could happen, I asked my self, when they were in the middle of the town? Finally, I could stand it no more, and started to put my shoes on. Just as I slipped my heel into the second one, Yuna came running into the house.

"Daddy! Daddy! Hurry!" she cried, tears filling her eyes. I didn't delay to ask what was wrong, I only grabbed her hand and let her lead me to an empty street at the edge of town where Sonja stood in a fighting stance, staring down the biggest, ugliest fiend I ever laid eyes on. It was huge- larger even than any full grown man, quite near twelve times Sonja's size, placing her deeply in a disadvantage. I watched her as the monster's claws shot towards her.

"Sonja! Move!" I ordered, causing her to jump and land beside me.

"Daddy?" she asked, looking rather surprised. I ran and tackled her out of the way as the fiend lunged at her. I felt a pain surge through my leg when it landed on me. My attempt to restrain my yell of discomfort failed when a small grunt escaped.

"Daddy? Okay?" Sonja asked with her voice full of worry. The monster moved, allowing me to pull my leg out from under its massive body. I ran past Yuna and grabbed her as I did so. I limped towards the center of town, too slow to put distance between the fiend and my family.

The fiend let out a hideous screech and prepared to pounce. I knelt down, hugging my girls beneath me to protect them. I tried to stop her but Sonja leapt from my arms.

"Sonja! No!" I shouted. I turned and watched her.

She stood there, arms out to the side, eyes glaring, facing the evil creature. With a roar, it hefted its giant claws in an upper cut into my baby's lower torso, right below her rib-cage. Blood splurged from her body, splashing over to where I knelt, staining my hand and wrist red with her life essence. With a laughter-like snort, the fiend slung her from his colossal clawed paw and lumbered towards her mangled body while she lay there, hugging herself and bleeding, snarling and growling in pain.

I had to turn my head. It was all I could do to keep myself from running out there and getting her. I wanted to hold her in my arms. I wanted to tell her it would be okay. I wanted her to know I loved her. I wanted to save her from this monstrosity as I saved her from the fatal weather almost exactly three years ago.

Yuna tried to push me away and run to her little sister, but I pulled her back and sat her down before running for the younger child just as a familiar bark stopped me in my tracks.

SkahZev charged in out of nowhere and jumped over to stand above Sonja, snarling protectively. The fiend roared, obviously not even in the least bit intimidated. It slashed out at SkahZev, creating a sudden bright flash of light. All sound ceased… the roaring, growling, barking cacophony became as quiet as the grave.

When the light faded, I opened my eyes and looked around. Blood stains on the ground, a few broken windows here and there, a few clumps of her hair here and there… but no Sonja. Yuna pointed out two sets of tracks in the soft ground. One was the cross-like prints of the fiend while I could easily make out Sonja's tiny barefooted prints. Hers were right behind its, as if she followed it, or chased it out of town. I had a strong feeling it was the latter… knowing her and her aggressive, determined, and competitive nature.

I took Yuna home and laid her down for a nap before returning to the battle scarred area to see if I could find my little baby anywhere. No luck. I found SkahZev, who was whimpering loudly and limping around. No Sonja… I followed the tracks to the grass where they stopped… or continued, but I couldn't see them… I let out a loud sigh and walked back to the pup. He was snarling at me when I tried to pick him up. He would not let me do so, no matter what I tried. All he would do is bark and back away, he even bit my hand to emphasize his point. Maybe he just wanted to do a bit of searching on his own. Maybe he was too heart broken to accept the fact that his favorite person in the world was gone. He would come home when he was hungry, I thought. I walked away from him, letting my feet take me back home where I stood in the door way, just before crossing the threshold.

I tried to keep it inside… but I couldn't. I let out a loud yell and sank to my knees in the middle of view of everyone in town, but I cared not.

"Why! Why!" I shouted, screaming at the sky while holding my hands up as if begging for an answer.

"Why! Oh, Yevon! Why did you do that! Why did you take her away! If it was because I was never meant to raise her, then why did you send me to her in the first place! Why did you wait until now? Why did you wait until I'd forgotten she was adopted! Why did you wait until she drilled her way into our hearts? Why did you wait until she received more love than my own wife? Why did you wait until Yuna was attached like a shadow? Why? Why? WHY!" I shouted, not caring that about thirty eyes were staring at me. I knelt there in the street, crying my eyes out and screaming at my deity.

Those questions haunted me, even as I finished wailing and lay on Yuna's bed beside her, hugging her to my chest and crying in her soft brown hair. Two wet streaks down her face, one on each cheek, betrayed where sleep inducing tears confirmed to me she already knew the news I was prepared to deliver.

I closed my eyes, and sighed. A Sending would need to be performed, but without a body, even a mangled one, Sonja's spirit would have no choice but to wander through our world as an Unsent… something I didn't want her to suffer. I wondered to myself if there was a way to perform a Sending large enough to cover the enormous area of land over which she could have been slaughtered in. I seriously had a doubt about it. With a sigh, I fell asleep.

"Sonja… I'm sorry I couldn't help you… forgive me, please… I love you…"

* * *

So, how was that? Good, me hopes... still no inspiration for my Child's Play story... sorry, guys! Maybe I can actually finish this one before I start another one! Hrm... Review time! Love ya!


	4. Par II Chapter I

Hey, guys! Sorry this took so long! I've been away from the house for a while, but I hope the length makes up for it! If it doesn't then I'll just be forced to put up another chappie, huh! Anyways, for those of you who aren't reviewing, but are reading, PLEASE at least let me know you're out there! Drop me a line or something! Email me! IM me! Something! Let me feel the love! I'm not feeling it!

* * *

In the Summoner's Shadow

Part II Chapter I

_Once, together we were happy and we were so very young; sadly now we have been parted- leaving me quite broken hearted. So many love songs still unsung… So many things still left to say. I did not leave without a care and I hope we meet again some day. I turn around to see you there as though I had not gone away. Just listen to me my one and only should you hear a lonely sound. Drifting sweet secrets in the breeze; please feel that I am still around. I leave you sadly, deeply thinking, this is really not too fair… so very proud at having known you, finding such sweet love to share. We must bow to a higher power when He comes to call us home, leaving those we love behind us to join us later when they come. Try to think of me with kindness; try to think of me with Love. One day please do come and join me in a happy home above_

_(Frank Paylor, Shadow)_

_The monster stared her down. She stared it down. Some reason beyond her, it looked shorter than it did before, and she felt more energized than when the fight started. What was this power she felt surging through her veins? Why did she feel so… savage…?_

_The fiend roared at her. She countered with a snarling bark, which surprised her. Before she knew what she was doing, a furry arm shot out and grabbed the paw of the fiend that was being slammed towards her. Was that arm hers? Were the claws digging into the fiend's rock hard flesh part of _her_ hand? Who was it ripping the limb off the fiend as if tearing paper in half? It couldn't possibly be her, could it? _

_Impossible! Unthinkable! _

_… Or was it?_

_What ever and who ever it was, the furry arms infront of her eyes destroyed the monster's arm completely, throwing the bloody bone and skin to the ground. A serious battle ensued, sparked by the rage of the fiend as it tore away at her. She watched as it attacked a furry torso, but felt it as it did so, also. _

_The monster tore at her throat with its claws on the still attached hand. A direct hit knocked her to the ground. She felt its heavy foot land firmly on her sternum and stomp down on it, causing her ribs to creak under the violent abuse. She yelped and sank white, sharp fangs into the leg, trying to get it off. The leg pulled back sharply, ignoring the fact that her teeth were still one with it. The yank to her jaws sent a dull pain through her head, relinquished when a surge of adrenaline caused her to burst up from the ground and tear at the fiend's chest. The fiend reacted with as much dynamism as her. It threw her against the ground and ripped at her chest with its claws while masticating her throat with its powerful and plenty fangs._

_The air lunged from her throat and lungs as blood stained the ground beneath her. Pain ruled her nerves, ending to ending. She watched in horror as five claws the length of her arm dashed towards her face, threatening to end it all for her. _

Sonja let out a small yelp of terror. She jolted up from her sleeping position, panting and sweating, looking around to assure herself she was still alive. Lights flashed on all around her, and the all too familiar voice rang out.

"Wake up, you maggots!" The holder of the voice stomped through the barracks in the middle of a secret underground base camp for training. Sonja yawned and stretched before jumping out of her bed on the top bunk and grabbing her white fur halter top and shorts, as well as the full skin wolf cape and putting them on, not paying attention to all the male recruits staring at her as she did so. She was the only female in the camp, yet received no special treatment. Not that she'd want it…

"Hey, Sonja… why don't you go around topless for now, huh?" asked her bunk mate. She rolled her eyes, pulling on her halter top and pulling it down to cover five nasty looking scar marks on her lower chest.

"Dude, that's statutory rape, ya?" another one of the recruits laughed. One other chuckled.

"Ah, she ain't got anything there anyways!" he shouted.

"Button your traps, maggots! We've got a busy day!" the sergeant shouted. Sonja rolled her eyes and ran to the front of the bunks, standing at attention. Almost no time later, the other fourteen inhabitants of the barrack were lined up beside her, she the only female and defiantly the smallest of any of them there.

"Right, Maggots! Guess what? Fresh Meat!" Sergeant Darsee nodded towards the doors and smirked as two Ronso were drug in by two commanders. They were both fighting against their captors, even going so far as to bite the hand that held them.

"Stupid creatures!" a commander shouted, tossing his to the ground infront of the line of recruits. Sonja blinked and tilted her head. She wasn't the only one surprised, though.

The Ronso infront of them was not only extremely small, he was also whiter than snow, as if he had been born in bleach. He had no horn, which raised the question- was he really a 'he?' He had the brightest red eyes ever seen, with absolutely no pupil. One would expect a creature such as this "monster" to have claws twice his size, but he actually had no claws whatsoever.

The other Ronso was thrown beside him. Nothing was unusual about this one, other than the fact that he had one white paw, as if he stepped in the bleach his brother was born in. The twins scooted closer to each other, the blue one hiding the white one behind his self.

"What's your names, sons?" Darsee asked. The blue one growled loudly.

"Rufio's name Rufio!" he snarled.

"Ark is Ark…" the white one muttered.

"Ark and Rufio, eh?" Darsee asked.

"They were supposed to be executed today, but we thought we could put them to better use than wandering the Farplane." One of the commanders explained.

"Oh, we sure defiantly can!" Darsee nodded, and then saluted as the commanders walked out. He turned to the Ronso. He then turned to the line of recruits. "Maggots! Make the fresh meat at home!" he ordered. Several of the recruits jumped forward to attack the Ronso and let them know who was ranked highest, until Sonja jumped forward and held her hands out at them.

"Stop! Now!" She demanded. They stopped and blinked at her.

"Move out the way, Sonja!" they shouted, but she stood there, still, not wanting to see the young ones, though older than her, hurt. They started to advance, willing to attack her, too, but stopped when the big wooden doors burst open. In walked a somewhat muscular, but rather skinny Ronso carrying a scroll of paper tied with a blood red ribbon, sealed with a pendant with a leather tie. The pendant was made of some sort of pale bone, engraved with three Pyreflies circling inward to another circle in the middle carrying the ancient emblems of Red Magic, a combination of White and Black magic that died out long ago, presumed over six hundred years before Zanarkand was destroyed.

All eyes were upon this Ronso as he walked to Sergeant Darsee and handed him the scroll, then saluted and walked out, flashing a grin at Sonja and blinking when he saw Ark hiding behind Rufio. He paused for a split second, giving a friendly nod to them before continuing out.

Tall, sleek, and well groomed, he had smooth blue fur that glinted in the sunlight, outlining each muscle when he flexed, or was fighting. White fangs were plentiful in his powerful jaws, under perfectly strait and silky whiskers while his short beard was the perfect frame to his face. His hair was long and flat and it trailed down his back, waving in even the slightest wind. His eyes were a deep shade of gold, as if the metal itself had been implanted into his oculars. No one really knew how old he was, or what he had been through. All anyone knew was that he was wise, strong, cunning, crafty, skillful, charismatic, ingenious, entertaining, swift, powerful, and above all, enigmatic.

Sonja knew this Ronso. He was Commander Rye, alias Shadence. He found her lying half dead in the outskirts of Bevelle a year or so ago and brought her here, nursed her back to health, and enrolled her as an Assassin in training. He was almost like her father, and she loved him as such.

"Well, what'd he bring? Whose it for? What is it?" the recruits asked, crowding around Sergeant Darsee to try and read what was on the scroll. Sergeant Darsee backed away from the group.

"Now, just hold on a moment!" he barked. When the recruits stepped back, he unrolled it and cleared his throat, reading it out loud.

"To Sergeant Darsee, from the Generals Respectively, concerning the advanced placement of Private Sonja…" he read. His eyes and the eyes of the others turned to her in amazement. She blinked, wondering exactly what everyone else was wondering.

"What did I do to deserve this?" she asked. Darsee looked back down to the scroll.

"Hmm…" he skimmed over it, then read some more. "For surpassing even her own Sergeant in all aspects of the Assassin, i.e. skill, patience, wit, form, grace, secrecy, and strength, the Private Sonja will advance in rank two steps to the position of Lieutenant Nightwish. Let it be known amongst the troupes and entire organization of this replacement. Should any concerns arise, feel free to consult the Generals Respectively on the matter. They shall be glad to defend their decision."

"She surpassed Sergeant Darsee?" one of the recruits asked. Silence fell upon the group. Sonja was the first to speak.

"So… what do I do?" She asked. Sergeant Darsee ignored her, stomping off to his office to sulk that a child an eighth of his age advanced not one place ahead of him, but two places. This was a disgrace, he thought. With indignation to its fullest, he slammed the door and left the recruits alone.

"Maybe you should go see the Generals Respectively, ya?" asked the recruit from earlier, placing his hand on her shoulder. She blinked.

"Yeah…" she nodded. She grabbed the scroll and walked out, waving to the others as they shouted their congratulations and the like.

"Well, Lieutenant…" the deep, calm and soothing voice of Rye sounded at her back. She turned around, seeing the old Ronso leaning against the door of the Private's hall. She smiled.

"Hey, Rye…" she nodded her greeting. He smiled and opened his eyes, staring down at her as he walked over and placed his paw on her shoulder while walking with her.

"You're first big promotion… you worked hard, I assume?" he chuckled slightly. She rolled her eyes.

"I guess you could say that… although, I know it was you using your connections with the Generals Respectively," she punched him playfully in the side. He laughed lightly.

"No, I did no such thing… well, I did mention you to them every now and then, and they did the rest. They are actually impressed with you, and apparently see you as someone who could make us all very, very proud."

"I guess… but… 'Nightwish' as my alias? What the crap?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. He shrugged.

"Our names are all revealed as we develop as Assassins, Sonja, you know that. I, for example, was given the name Shadence and quite frankly, I didn't understand, until I realized over ninety percent of my kills were due to the fact that I relied on the shadows to hide me as I attacked and killed my targets. You, perhaps night will be your time of peak, or perhaps your name is a warning to you. You never know until you find out for yourself. Remember, we are named from Lord Sashibhat, the ancient Red Mage who funded our organization long ago to get revenge for his fallen familymurdered as innocent stander-bys in the first assassination attempt."

"Yes, I know, Rye, I know!" she rolled her eyes and sighed. He smiled.

"Just making sure…" he patted her shoulder affectionately as she approached the large steel doors that lead to the dark room where the Generals were sat in meeting, discussing all the targets they received. She knocked thrice on the door, paused, then knocked twice, paused for twice as long, then knocked once. The doors opened with a loud groan of exertion and a voice beckoned Sonja to enter, which she did.

"Lieutenant Nightwish…" a voice called cheerfully, or as cheerfully as the Generals could call. "Thy name and deeds precede you,"

She smiled and bowed before them.

"Generals, I speak the title Respectively, I come to ask you for advice, my lords…" she requested. A small murmur waved through the Generals, who could be seen as no more than brown cloaks under the light of nine candles, one for each General.

"Speak, young child…" the voice encouraged.

"Respectively, my Generals… I ask thee… in my new line of duty as a Lieutenant under you… what do I do now?" she bowed, her question asked. Another murmur flickered through the Generals until one in the middle stood and raised his clawed hand, speaking to her.

"Young Lieutenant Nightwish… a fine question you hold. We answer you now… you must take the two young Ronso, the white Ark and the blue Rufio, and train them. Make them better, if not as good, as you. The organization needs more like yourself… you may be able to help increase the number of these well-bodied assassins in more ways than just training them, but that is a discussion for a much later, much more mature time, especially for you…" he spoke slowly and gently, as if she wasn't wise enough to understand, or something like that, she thought.

"Yes, Respected Generals. I understand. Thank you for your time and effort," she bowed and walked out upon her dismissal. She smiled when the doors closed and she ran and embraced Rye, who chuckled and pried her off.

"I'm so excited!" she giggled. He smiled.

"Apparently," he then pulled a leather necklace out of his sash and hung it around her neck. Out of another pocket, he pulled an exact replica of what was on the scroll. She smiled.

"You got that for me?" she asked. He smiled, his wise eyes glinting.

"No, more like made it for you. I have a lot of time on my hands," he explained, then hugged her to his side as he dropped the emblem on the necklace and walked with her back to the Private's hall where she saved the two Ronso twins from the bored Privates, who strangely and immediately bowed to her presence and saluted. She smiled.

"Oh, how I love this power!" she giggled while leading the twins to her newly appointed private room in the Lieutenant's Wing of their under-seafloor base.

"Yes, but don't let it go to your young head. That would be bad…" Rye advised, pulling out his large ring of keys and unlocking her door, giving her a replica of the door key.

"Oh, but what fun would it be if I didn't?" she joked, only to have Rye glare at her from the corner of his wise, golden eyes.

"Do. Not." He reiterated.

"Okay! Okay! For the love of Yevon, don't bite my head off!" she held her hands up defensively. He just raised an eyebrow at her and opened her door, walking in and sitting in a chair.

"Well, guys, come on in… make yourselves at home, because that's where you're gonna be staying for a long while!" she smiled, pushing the two Ronso twins in the door. They stood in the door way, as if frightened. She sighed and walked past them, shutting the door and sitting in a chair next to Rye. Rye turned to them with a smile on his furry face. He held his hand out to them and motioned towards a chair, which they both sat in. Sonja blinked and stared at them for a short while.

"So, uh… where you from?" she asked, playing with her new necklace.

"Same place I'm from, most likely…" Rye smiled and turned to them. "What's Mount Gagazet like? I have not been there in so long," he asked.

"Gagazet? Ark not know Gagazet…" Ark shrugged. Rye blinked.

"Rufio and Ark rejected at birth. Ark and Rufio grow up at temple. Temple workers catch Rufio and Ark playing tag. Ark and Rufio tried and sentenced to death. Ark and Rufio prayed and prayed and prayed, then saved by mens who say they looking for workers in job. Ark and Rufio set free with man," Rufio explained.

"Hmm…" Sonja stared off at the wall as if lost in thought. Rye looked surprised, then nodded and answered a knock at the door. He came back soon after and handed a scroll with a purple ribbon tied around it to Sonja. She looked at the ribbon.

"Ah, a job, eh?" she asked, untying it and rolling it out to read it. She smiled and nodded. After writing on it a bit, she whistled, calling a silver wolf out from a corner in the room.

"SkahZev, me lad!" she greeted, patting his head. "Do me a favor and take this to the Generals!" she slipped it under his collar, then watched him run out the door.

"What that?" Ark asked curiously. Sonja smiled.

"We, well, _I_ just got a Call To Action. It means I have to go track someone down, plot their demise, and destroy them!" she looked quite joyful to do this. Of course, with a sum of Gil like she'd be getting, who wouldn't be, she wondered.

Soon, SkahZev ran back in, a blue bound book in his jaws. Sonja took it and loosened a tie from his collar and read the note underneath. She nodded and smiled at Rye.

"Well, take care of the boys, would you? I gotta go! I have until First, the moon, to get rid of this guy," she stuffed her belt full of knives and throwing stars.

"And if you shouldn't return?" Rye's worried voice asked kindly. She rolled her eyes.

"I'm standing here, talking to you. That should be proof enough that I've never not returned!" she held her hands out to the side. He sighed and walked over to her, placing his giant paw on her shoulder and kneeling down, still having to squat after that to reach her stature.

"Sonja, remember. You're only four. Most children your age have barely begun to speak,"

"Yeah, but I'm something' special! You said so yourself! So did dad, when he was alive…" she sighed sadly and lowered her head respectfully.

"Yes, well, I'm quite sure he did. However- you are still very small and rather amateurish in this sport, understand?"

"Hey- I've taken down fiends six times your size and completely annihilated entire cults and pacts! Taking down a simple Summoner and their guardians will be nothing!" She backed away.

"You forget the power the Summoners possess…" he reminded her.

"Oh, I know! Don't worry, though! They'll be dead before they can even get half way through the summoning! I promise! Rye, stop worrying about me! I'm a big girl; I can take care of myself! I can wipe my own butt and everything!" she assured him.

He blinked at the last sentence and let out a small chuckle. Rye patted her shoulder lovingly and escorted her to the door of the undersea-floor base and watched her climb the long stairwell to the small hut where their secret door was hidden carefully.

Sonja stepped foot into the warm sunlight and took in a deep breath.

"Ahh, yes! The sweet sight of day, the gentle smell of wind, the thrill of the hunt, the call of the wild, the relish of the kill!" she purred to herself, then pulled a piece of cloth out of her book that she kept under her belt. She was special, indeed, known for tracking her targets using nothing but her senses and what was given to her to determine where they were now and where they were headed next.

The scent on the cloth smelled somewhat familiar. She shrugged it off and took a few sniffs of the air. They had recently been to the nearest temple.

"Excellent…" she smiled and ran towards the next aeon's respected temple, already plotting the death of the apparently hated by someone Summoner.

* * *

Okay! Either next chapter, or chapter next next, I'll reveal who it is she's supposed to kill... >.> few already know who it is. > curse my not-able-to-hold-in-a-plotness! Anyhow! If you have any ideas of how she could kill some one, email them all to me, and I'll randomly pick a few to do! Have a little audience/author interaction here... Love ya'll! Review for me, pwease! (o)(o) upside down puppy eyes!


	5. Part II Chapter II

Okay! Here you go! Second chapter of the month! This was writen mostly on a Saturday night at 12:45 after being in a car ride for four strait hours previous, plagued by the effects of Taco Bell on Noah... not good! So, if this chapter seems a bit weird, then you know why!

* * *

In the Summoner's Shadow

Part II, Chapter II

_Once, together we were happy and we were so very young; sadly now we have been parted- leaving me quite broken hearted. So many love songs still unsung… So many things still left to say. I did not leave without a care and I hope we meet again some day. I turn around to see you there as though I had not gone away. Just listen to me my one and only should you hear a lonely sound. Drifting sweet secrets in the breeze; please feel that I am still around. I leave you sadly, deeply thinking, this is really not too fair… so very proud at having known you, finding such sweet love to share. We must bow to a higher power when He comes to call us home, leaving those we love behind us to join us later when they come. Try to think of me with kindness; try to think of me with Love. One day please do come and join me in a happy home above_

_(Frank Paylor, Shadow)_

One week later, Sonja ran onto the premises of the Djose temple. She sat down outside, where she wouldn't be considered a threat, but where she could make account of all those who entered and exited. Finally, the scent of the target she was hunting made it into range of her smell diameter. She smiled and dodged into the temple doors.

The assassin grabbed the pendant at her neck and held onto it, activating a barrier that popped up, keeping her scent, image, and even the sounds she made hidden from anyone else. Easily, she slipped past the guards in the temple.

The Trials were nothing compared to the art she had been taught and trained in. Thievery was only an everyday thing with her, and easily she figured out the puzzling room just by looking at it and completed it in possibly record time.

Finally, she ran to the chamber, stopping shortly to gaze at the door, then jolt in and hide in a shadowy part of the room, where she was totally hidden from everything. Calling upon deeper magic within the pendant, Sonja made herself completely invisible, even masking the electric vibes a human naturally gave off.

She lounged against the wall idly, waiting for her prey to enter the room. She was so unprepared for what she saw, she almost lost her mental hold upon the pendant's power and exposed herself to whom she was supposed to be hiding from.

"No…" she breathed, her words caught in the barrier she held up. "…not you…"

Her eyes stared blankly ahead while her mouth hung open like a cave. Her breath was captured in her chest. Her sudden remembrance that she was currently not breathing brought Sonja out of her trance.

"No!" she blinked, realizing the one she was so surprised and saddened to see become a Summoner was also the one she was assigned to kill and bring to the court of the Generals as proof she did what was asked of her.

"I won't do it… I can't do it!" she shouted at herself, falling to her knees and gasping, trying to hold back tears. A thin line of red gleam passed over her. She gasped when she realized she had just dropped her barrier. She clung to her pendant, letting out a sigh of relief when the Summoner merely glanced in her direction, then turned their attention back to their prayer, as if dismissing the whole thing as a figment of their imagination- perhaps the aftermath wooziness of the aeon gaining was hitting early… perhaps even it was the Fayth playing tricks, though it had never been reported that a Fayth was becoming playful with the Summoners who entered their Chambers.

Sonja gazed longingly at the Summoner kneeling before the statue.

"D… daddy…" she whispered to herself, fighting against a tear which was determined to stream down her face.

She kept turning the pendant in her hand, as a river turns a stone. She often heard Rye warn her about she would experience times where her heart would be twisted multiple ways. This was one of those times, she concluded.

Half of her wanted to run to him. Half of her wanted to hug him from behind around the waist and scream out her nickname for him, "Daddy-doodles." Half of her wanted to be with him and Yuna. Half of her wanted to live with them as a happy family once and for all. Half of her wanted to expose her here and now. Half of her wanted to completely resign from being the serial killer she was and repent. Half of her wanted to hold him. Half of her wanted him to hold her. Half of her wanted to tell him how much she loved him, and have him tell her likewise.

Another half of her wanted to take the dagger at her side and slit his throat for abandoning her almost a year ago; leaving her to the mercy of the fiend she now bore the claw-scars of. Another half of her wanted to run to him and destroy his being before he had the chance to finish his prayer and become stronger. Another half of her wanted to bathe in his blood. Another half of her wanted to bask in the glory of his defeat. Another half of her wanted to climb up the approval ladder of the Generals. Another half of her wanted him dead.

Just when she thought her first half was winning, she started to doubt her good feeling.

This same half of her was embarrassed that he should see her as she was, brandishing the turquoise Sigma on her shoulder and the pendant around her neck- both the secret emblems of an assassin. This same half of her wondered how he would react when he saw her. This same half of her wondered if he would try and kill her when he saw her, not recognizing her through her growth, or would he allow his guardians the joy an honor?

Of course, he was a Summoner now, and she was dead to him… perhaps even he would think her an Unsent… and try and Send her… not that it would do anything more to her than irk her anger and send her possibly flying to knock some sense into that thick head of his, which would in turn irk his guardians' angers and spark their assault upon her.

Then again, she wondered… would he embrace her? Would he kiss her cheek, O so lovingly? Would he call her by her name and promise everything would be okay, as he had done in days long past? Would he tell her he loved her and pester her playfully until she said the same thing in return, no matter how much she jokingly withheld her truest feelings for him? Would he be mad at her for becoming what she had become?

Her five year old imagination ran wild with so many whatif's and so many wouldhe's that she was distracted, causing her barrier to begin to fade. Again, she tightened her grip on her pendant and kept watching her father gain his aeon.

Sonja's pride kept commanding her to stick to her appointed job and obliterate him. However, her body, spirit, mind, and heart all warned her that if she even hurt him in any way, she would then hurt her self in every way.

"Now's the perfect chance!" part of her mind shouted as the Fayth merged its power with Braska, dropping him to the ground.

"No!" another part of her mind shouted. "I won't do it!"

"Why not? Because he's your father? Grow up, you coward! All's fair in love and Slaughter Wages! Think of it- who or what do you love more? Your father, or the Gil you'll receive for doing your father in?" the other part asked.

Sonja sighed. It was normal for her to have these conversations with her… it was almost as if her mind was split in twain: a rabid, feral side who seemed too much like a wild beast for her own good, and then a calm, gentle side- cultivated and civilized.

Wolf and Man, she called them.

Wolf- the one which seemed to enjoy it when she shed blood of her prey and enemies all over the ground. Wolf- the one which relished in the warmth of the life on her claws and in her nose. Wolf- the one which sent her into a craze to kill her prey every time she caught them in her sights. Wolf- the one which kept her alive all these years.

Then there was man… Man- the one which reasoned with logic instead of lust for blood. Man- the one which kept sense in her head. Man- the one which looked to the brighter side of things and wondered how it could be changed to suit her. Man- the one who allowed Sonja to interact with society easily. Man- the one who kept her sane though all these years.

They often argued with each other, trying to prove the other wrong. Schizophrenia, you might say? No… just indecisiveness. Wolf and Man were her version of the shoulder angel and devil she heard rumors of often- the ear gremlins- she laughed to herself, then sighed.

"He's weakened… like a wounded pup before the sword of a guardian… nothing compared to you! Just go! He won't have anything to defend himself with! No guardians to protect him, and he's not strong enough to stand, much less summon! Go!" Wolf commanded.

"This is exactly why I'm not doing anything! Where's the glory in his weakened state? Why not wait until he can fend for himself, gaining extra admiration and spot light!" Man countered, using Wolf's own logic against her.

"True," Wolf agreed and the two shut up as Sonja tuned them out. They were bad for her sanity.

All she could do from that point on was watch as her father slowly regained his strength and rose to his feet, leaning heavily on his staff for support, then reverting to the aid of his bare-chested guardian's arm.

With a heavy heart she followed him, pausing to watch him, standing where he was once kneeling in prayer. _Father…_ she sighed in her mind. The sigh became louder as she followed him out of the temple.

"What are you doing, you fool? There goes your chance at glory! At Power! At Gil!" Wolf shouted.

"Shut up…" Man mentally slapped her and sighed.

Sonja reached in her pocket and pulled out a small sphere recorder and held it up to speak into it.

"Mission: auto terminated. Target: permitted escape…" she sighed and watched Braska and his two guardians disappear into the distance before praying to him hastily and walking in the opposite direction from him.

* * *

So, how was it? You know the routine... 


	6. Part II chapter III

Well, folks... here you go... in this chapter, Sonja has a little happy flashback! It involves everyone's favorite guardian in red... >.> But how could anyone leave him out of any fic! Anyhow, enjoy!

* * *

In the Summoner's Shadow

Part II Chapter III

_Once, together we were happy and we were so very young; sadly now we have been parted- leaving me quite broken hearted. So many love songs still unsung… So many things still left to say. I did not leave without a care and I hope we meet again some day. I turn around to see you there as though I had not gone away. Just listen to me my one and only should you hear a lonely sound. Drifting sweet secrets in the breeze; please feel that I am still around. I leave you sadly, deeply thinking, this is really not too fair… so very proud at having known you, finding such sweet love to share. We must bow to a higher power when He comes to call us home, leaving those we love behind us to join us later when they come. Try to think of me with kindness; try to think of me with Love. One day please do come and join me in a happy home above_

_(Frank Paylor, Shadow)_

"So," Rye smiled as Sonja walked in the door, slamming it behind her and plopping on the bed. "I assume it didn't go well?"

"Not at all…" she grumbled. Rye blinked and looked at her.

"Oh, no? What was wrong?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing… that is, if you don't count the fact that they sent me after my own father!" she growled and threw her pillow at him. He caught it and held it under his arm. He blinked sadly and stared at her.

"You're not human, are you?" he asked, wide eyed. She blinked and stared at him.

"Where the heck did you get that idea from?"

"No civilized anything would kill their own father…" he set the pillow down gently and slowly. Sonja sighed and shook her head.

"No, Rye, I didn't even touch him. I didn't even talk to him…" she sat up and hung her head. "I terminated…"

Ark and Rufio both blinked and looked at her.

"Terminated?" Rufio asked.

"It means she abandoned the target and refused to do her job. She's a bad example! Don't do what she did!" Rye explained, then turned to her again. "You'd have been better off to never come back, rather than return your sphere to the Generals…"

"I know, I know!" she sighed. "But I have no where else to go…"

"I thought Sonja family dead…" Ark tilted his head to the side. She shrugged.

"I thought so, too… but apparently my father is up and running around! Out of all the things he could have done for a living, _this_ had to be it? A Summoner!" Sonja sighed in desperation.

Three heads turned to the door when a knock was heard. Rye answered it, giving the salute to the messenger and sending him on his way. He then unrolled the scroll he received and read it out loud.

"From the Respected Generals, Lieutenant Nightwish- report to us immediately, concerning your last assignment termination." Rye read, then looked at Sonja. She sighed and rose to her feet, walking slowly out of the room, her head hung. Rufio and Ark jumped up, watching her leave while they stood at the door way. Rye sighed and closed his eyes, clutching his staff for reassurance that she would be okay, though he had serious doubts.

When Sonja arrived at the doors to the General's room, she let out a loud sigh and knocked on the door. It opened and she walked in, stepping in the only light in the room- a big spot light in the middle of the darkness. She stared forward, unable to see anything other than pure black. However, she heard plenty.

"Lieutenant Nightwish… You have been charged with Termination of Assassination. How do you plead?" a voice asked.

"Guilty, my Respected General," she stood strait up, trying to keep her composure.

"Tell us why you did what you did," the voice demanded. She nodded.

"As you know, you sent me after Lord Braska. As you didn't know, I don't think, Lord Braska is my father. I absolutely refuse to harm my own father," she explained. A murmur was heard in the darkness, then another voice cleared its throat and spoke.

"Nightwish… as tradition, we are forced to punish you for doing what you did and forsaking your duties. However, your punishment shan't be too forceful. We admire your skills and recognize you being an asset to our organization. We also understand your position on the matter of your father's assassination."

"You should feel lucky, young one. Most assassins would receive about six times more than what you are getting now. Still, it's a very lethal dose. If you survive this, we will veto your demotion. Good luck, Lieutenant," another one of the Generals spoke as two others, cloaked in their brown garb covering everything but their hands and the muzzle of the one Ronso General walked towards her.

Sonja gasped and took a few steps back, but stopped when she hit the chest of the Ronso General behind her. He grabbed her arms and held them behind her back. With a force full of strength enough to break her bones easily, he kept her immobile against her own free will. Sonja had no choice but to watch as a white flower was picked off a small potted plant carried up by another General. A syringe in the hand of another stabbed into the flower's blossom and filled up with a bright, silver substance.

A look of pain shot across her face when the syringe needle was thrust into her chest, hitting her heart. The substance was injected. She gasped for air, falling limp in the Ronso's arms.

Sonja fell into a deep sleep brought on by the poison of the flower- the moon bloom. It was a blossom generated and cultivated purely for the use of the Assassin's organization, mainly for creating weapons no one could endure, but also for the punishment of recruits, such as the treatment Sonja was receiving. It was a deadly poison able to kill even the fiercest of opponents without much more than a quick jab of a sword and a few drops of poison on the blade.

Most victims undergo a nightmarish dream or something to the effect of an out-of-body experience, while others are just paralyzed, forced to listen to their family and loved ones at their own funeral while they are still alive. Either way, they are sentenced to a slow, painful death of starvation and dehydration.

Sonja, however, was totally different. Instead of suffering anything like the norm, she enjoyed a memory she had locked away deep in her mind.

"_Poor child," she heard a voice sigh.  
_"_Yeah… she's having a rather hard time even breathing…" the voice of her father explained. She felt his hands under her shoulders pushing her into a sitting position.  
__Sonja coughed when she was moved. It felt as if she were choking on her lung, the sensation of it being ripped from her chest shooting through her body. She gasped for breath afterwards.  
_"_Wow. Sounds worse than what you told me," the other man whistled.  
_"_Yes… it frightens me. The healer said she had pneumonia, and that there was a high possibility she wouldn't pull through since she was so young," Braska made a silent sigh.  
__Sonja opened her eyes weakly and wheezed as she spoke, looking up at her father.  
_"_D…daddy…" she coughed again. She leaned into his hand on her cheek.  
_"_Shh… don't speak, dearest. Listen to me, Sonja… I need you to try and eat. I know you're not feeling well and I know you're very weak right now, but if you don't eat, you won't heal. Your body needs energy to fight off what you're sick with," he explained to her, stroking her cheek as he did so. "Can you do that?"  
__Sonja moaned lightly and shook her head. Braska sighed and put his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it lovingly. His hand reached out and returned with a spoon full of broth from a bowl held by the other man in the room.  
_"_Please try, dearest…" Braska pleaded.  
_"_Her throat could be hurting her too much to even swallow," the other man suggested. Sonja, in her dazed state, finally recognized the voice. She turned towards the other and smiled slightly.  
_"_A…uwon…" she breathed, then coughed again. Auron smiled and reached his ungloved hand out towards her, rubbing her head and ruffling her hair.  
_"_Hey, kid," he greeted her. "Feeling bad?"  
__Sonja looked up at him and nodded, her eyes half closed.  
_"_Try eating a little bit. You'll feel lost better, I promise," he smiled and held his pinky out to her. She grabbed it with hers, something they developed when she was tiny. With a smile, she held back a cough and sighed. The cough came back with a vengeance, however, and she choked on it to the point where Braska was pounding her on the back to open her wind pipe. He sighed and shook his head.  
_"_Poor baby," Braska hugged her. Auron reached over and grabbed her, pulling her to him and laying her head in the crook of his elbow while he hugged her shoulders against his chest.  
_"_Come on, baby girl… you have got to eat!" Braska held her hand.  
_"_Can you swallow at all?" Auron asked Sonja. She nodded slightly and coughed again. He filled the spoon again and held it to her lips, allowing her to sip at it as she pleased, encouraging her as she did so.  
__Braska sighed. Sonja absolutely adored Auron. Perhaps the young man even bested the father at the title of Sonja's favorite person in the whole world. Anything Auron asked of Sonja got done- no questions asked. She wasn't as obedient to her own father! She would obey him, yes, but it would often take her a few minutes to get around to it. Yet with this lad in the red trench coat… immediately orders were fulfilled to the best of Sonja's ability. Even now… as close as she was to death and in as much pain as she was, she still bended to his will so easily.  
__Sonja groaned and tilted her head to the side when she could drink no more of the broth she was being fed. Auron looked down at the bowl, noting she ate at the very least a fourth of it. He smiled and nodded, then handed the bowl to Braska and made her sip at some water from a cup on her bedside table.  
_"_They share a room, don't they? The girls?" Auron asked. Braska nodded.  
_"_Yes. Yuna's spending nights in my bed until Sonja gets better. I don't know if this is contagious, but if it is, I'd rather only one daughter have it and not both," the older answered and looked to the door way, seeing Yuna standing there.  
_"_Daddy… Is Sonja okay?" she asked.  
_"_Not right now, she's not… she will be, though…" he smiled and nodded. 'Hopefully,' he thought to himself. Auron looked over at him and saw the worry in his eyes.  
_"_If she gets some sleep, she'll feel tons better," Auron mentioned as he laid Sonja down under the covers on the mutual bed of the sisters.  
_"_I know. Her coughing has been keeping her up the last couple nights. I'm glad I made Yuna come sleep with me, or she'd be awake with her sister's noise," Braska nodded.  
_"_Daddy, Auron, she's not sleeping 'cause she's scared!" Yuna told them, running into the room. Braska scooped her up and took her outside into the hall where she wouldn't be exposed to the germs in the room and Sonja wouldn't be exposed to the germs Yuna brought in from outside.  
_"_What do you mean?" he asked her, hugging her to his chest.  
_"_She's scared of the dark! She always falls asleep before me because she's always crying herself to sleep! I hold her hand at night and it makes her feel better. She hasn't been sleeping because I'm not there to protect her!" Yuna told him, tugging on his hair. Braska blinked.  
_"_Sonja? Scared of the dark?" he wondered out loud. Yuna nodded. He then smiled with a slight laugh.  
_"_Well, my little one, it's time for sleep. You too, dearest," he called into the room. Auron rose to leave, but Sonja reached for him. She held onto his pointer finger- the only thing her hands were big enough to grasp. He stopped and looked down at her.  
_"_Uh, I don't think she wants to be left alone…" he looked at Braska.  
_"_Sonja, I'm sorry, but Auron has to go home to his own house," Braska told her. Auron shook his head.  
_"_I'll stay with her until she falls asleep…" he said. Braska looked at him.  
_"_You don't mind?"  
_"_No, not at all. I have no children to go home to, no wife no nothing. Sharing your little girls is just as good, though," he smiled. Sonja shivered and coughed. Auron slipped off his jacket and laid it over her, tucking her in gently. She smiled and cuddled into the fabric. Braska watched this and sighed with a smile then nodded.  
_"_If you'd like to stay with her for a while, feel free. That is, if you don't mind getting sick…" He smiled. Auron smiled also and nodded. He then sat next to Sonja and rubbed her forehead.  
_"_Good night, Sonja... I love you…" Braska told his youngest as he walked away.  
_"_Night night, sissy!" Yuna called. Sonja tried to call back, but just coughed and hacked. Auron sighed and let her sip more water. He felt her cheek with his ungloved hand.  
_"_You're freezing!" he furrowed his brow worriedly. She nodded to him and coughed again. He blinked and looked around for more blankets, but then realized if any more were added to her, it would be quite heavy on the young girl's chest, and her lungs were having a hard enough time as it was. He sighed and looked down at his sake jug.  
_"_Last resort," he muttered and pulled her up to a sitting position and held the jug neck to her lips.  
_"_Slowly, now. Very slowly…" he told her, gently tilting the jug up for her. The warm liquid hit her lips and she coughed again. He pulled it away and smiled.  
_"_Yeah, it does that until you're used to it," he said and tried again. He only allowed her a few shots- just enough to make her body heat its self up.  
_"_Don't tell your father," he chuckled. She looked up at him and nodded. He reached over and blew the candle out, hearing a small whimper from the child at his side. His hand went to her shoulder and he leaned backwards on his other hand.  
_"_You're seriously scared of the dark?" he asked her. She nodded and clutched to his wrist for comfort. He shook his head and sighed.  
_"_Why?" he asked. She didn't respond. Not that she could, but she wouldn't anyways.  
_"_Go to sleep… don't worry, I'll protect you," he told her. She held her hand out infront of his face. It was light enough from the stars outside to see her holding her pinky finger up. He blinked and smiled, then grabbed it with his and shook it.  
_"_I promise," he smiled. She still didn't seem convinced. He took his sword out and laid it beside her. Auron took Sonja's hands and placed them around the handle of the sword. He then grabbed the sword with her hands on it, putting his on top of hers. He heard a small giggle. He smiled and rubbed her head.  
_"_Maybe I'll teach you how to use it one day," he told her. They both held their pinkies out at the same time and shook. Sonja snuggled down into Auron's coat, her hands on the hilt of the sword with her head on his knee. He sighed and feared to move, so spent the night against the wall while she slept.  
__The next morning, Auron woke; he had a large crick in his neck and his back ached while his knee was practically dead under the weight of Sonja's head. He looked down at her and smiled, patting her gently to wake her up. She grumbled and looked at him, still asleep in a manner of speaking. Soon, Braska walked in, a bowl of creamy porridge in his hands. He looked at Sonja and smiled.  
_"_Sleep well?" he asked, then saw the sword lying on the bed. He looked at Auron with a worried frown. "Did I miss something last night?"  
_"_No," Auron assured him. "Nothing but a show of faith and protection,"  
__Braska nodded and handed him the porridge. After he coaxed Sonja to eat, the younger man allowed her to go to sleep again.  
_"_Auron, I have to thank you for all you do for my girls," he sighed.  
_"_No problem," he shook his head. "It's nothing, really. I never had a little sibling or anything. This is kind of my way of having two now," he explained. "I'm sorry; I know that sounds ridiculous,"  
__Braska shook his head. "No, not at all. Actually, I have to agree with you. They only have one uncle on their mother's side. This is good for them. They need more role models in their life," he smiled. "And Sonja constantly looks to you as one… I mean, she even holds her fork the same way you do, saying she does it because 'Auwon did it, too!'"  
__Auron's eyes widened slightly in embarrassment. He then blinked when Braska laughed.  
_"_The kid loves you more than me, I think," he sighed happily and stroked her head. _

The feeling of the hand on her head was so great that Sonja thought she could feel it on her person through the dream.

"Auron?" she muttered, looking up. Rye blinked and stared at her strangely.

"Who? What?" he asked, wiping the sweat from her forehead.

"Never mind…" she sighed, trying to sit up, but fell back to the bed woozily. Rye chided her.

"Stay down, Lieutenant," he demanded.

"Alright, Commander," she rolled her eyes and laid down again. "Where are the twins?" she asked.

"They're on their first assignment," he smiled proudly. "Can you believe it? They grew up so fast!"

"Right… So… I survived the moon bloom…" she looked down at her finger nails, permanently painted silver from the poison pigment they absorbed. Rye nodded.

"Amazing in itself, but you even survived it in less than a month! Most people, even with a one fortieth dose, don't survive; much less filter it out of their bodies so quickly. You amaze me, you know that?" he asked her with a smile. She scoffed.

"I amaze myself…" she yawned and closed her eyes.

"When you wake, you need to eat something," he told her.

Sonja smirked and laughed a bit.

"You sound just like him,"

"Who?" he asked, but was answered with nothing more than a light snore. He smiled and shrugged. "Ah, well… probably no one important…"

* * *

That's right, Rye... he's no one important or anything and will never be famous, ahem

So, how was it? Tell me! I have a new reviewer, SO SORRY I FORGOT YOUR NAME! smack smack smack! Not that that helps my memory... >.>

But, yes... REVIEW! (p.s. I'll put your name up next chapter!)


	7. Part II Chapter IV

Hey guys! What up! I don't think I've put up a disclaimer yet on any of my chapters... hrm... well... **I don't own FFX, if I did, then I wouldn't be as poor as I am... Although, Sonja, Ark, Rufio, Rye, Lucientio, the Assassin Corp, SkahZev, the moonbloom, and pretty much anything else that seems too cool to be part of the original FFX bruha is mine... Hah! Now that I have officially said that, I can say this... PROSECUTERS WILL BE VIOLATED!**Actually, I don't own Lucientio's name... Shakespere does, but I'm borrowing it with every intention of returning it!

Well... this chapter was fun... I was planning on making it longer, but then I decided it was a good place to stop it where I did... Hey! Kym! Hnu! I wrote this one on my own! No help from Matt! Woot! It's gonna suck though... I think... whatever... R&R!

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In the Summoner's Shadow  
Part II Chapter IV

**Assassin: _n_ **a person hired or hirable to commit murder paid the _assassin  
__synonyms: _bravo, cutthroat, gun, gunman, gunsel, gunslinger, hatchet man, hit man, torpedo, trigger man; compare: MURDERER  
_Merriam-Webster's New Thesaurus of the English Language_

Rye looked up from his book when he heard the door open. He looked out of Sonja's room and down the hall, smiling when he saw Rufio and Ark walk in with giant smiles upon their furry faces. He chuckled and stood, greeting them as they walked in to check on their lieutenant.

"Have fun?" he asked. Rufio nodded.

"Ark get man good!" Ark smiled. Rye chuckled.

"Lieutenant wake up?" Rufio asked.

"Ah… for a little while… she's doing a lot better… she's not mumbling to herself like she was before you two left, but she's still having trouble staying conscious. She'll wake up every now and then and stay awake for thirty minutes or so, but then she's right back out," he sighed.

The twins both sighed and flipped their tails worriedly.

"Generals tell Rufio give Rye this," the white-pawed Ronso handed Rye a scroll. The older Ronso took it and sighed, unrolling it.

"What's that, another assignment?" Sonja's sleepy and slurred voice asked as she sat up and rubbed her eyes. Rye turned to her and smiled.

"Yes, but I'll decline," he told her while pulling a pen out of his sash. Sonja blinked.

"What? No! Don't decline," she yawned.

"They gave us this too quickly. You need to heal first," he told her. She shook her head.

"No, I'm good. Nice and healed, ready for work!" she smiled. Rye shook his head in disapproval.

"It won't do you any good, working yourself as hard as you'll have to right after being poisoned with the most deadly thing on Spira…"

Sonja ignored him and climbed out of bed. She put on her wolf skin clothes and looked around for her weapons. She found her knife and stared at the blade, looking thoughtful. Ark stared at her, worried she might try something.

"You know…" she sat down on her chest-of-drawers. "There's something I've noticed… then again, this could be the moonbloom talking… but you notice our world's name is one letter off from 'spiral'? Doesn't it strike you as odd that we are actually in a spiral? A spiral of life and death, prosperity and debt, sickness and health, marriage and divorce, war and peace, love and hate, animosity and endearment, light and dark, religion and false doctrine, Summoner and Aeon… Sin and the calm… a never ending spiral of obscurity that leads us down the drain of life to a long bit of nothing for the rest of eternity…" She kept twirling the knife in her hand, as if mesmerized by the blade.

"Yup… you're going back to bed," Rye told her after a short pause. She blinked.

"Um, no! I'm taking this assignment!" she told him. He shook his head.

"Um, no, you are not." He commanded.

"Ark! Go tell the Generals I accept!" she looked past Rye and ordered the white Ronso to do her bidding.

"Ark! You leave this room and I'll skin your white hide!" Rye warned, but Ark was already gone. Rye growled, but Sonja just smirked. He sighed. "Fine, but I'm going with you!"

"Alright," she shrugged. "So, who's worthless- yet so high priced- life will we be ending this time?" she asked, waiting at the door for Rye to finish packing his weapons.

"Don't freak out about this…" he warned her. "But it's a Summoner,"

Sonja stopped playing with a strand of her hair. She stared wide eyed at the floor.

"What!" she blinked.

"Don't worry… it's not your father…" he assured her. "His name is Lucientio,"

She growled slightly. Sonja followed Rye out the door and down the hall to the ramp leading from their sub-ocean floor base to the hut that kept their door secret.

"Well, come on… let's get this over with," she sighed. Rye stared at her worriedly.

"Are you not okay with this?" he asked. She blinked and looked at him.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Do you have something against killing Summoners?" he asked. She scoffed.

"Oh, no. Nothing at all! Only the fact that my father is a Summoner!" she growled. "But we are not allowed to speak of our job outside of the base, and you know that!"

Rye blinked, then chuckled, somewhat discouraged that he was corrected by a five year old child.

"So, where do we meet this guy?" she asked. He looked down at the scroll.

"Well, according to this, he's heading for Macalania…" Rye shrugged. Sonja nodded and then smirked at him.

"Think you can keep up?" she asked as she crouched down and prepared to run. He chuckled and shook his head.

"No, I'm too old for that," he smiled. She frowned.

"Oh, come on, Rye… you're not _that_ old!" She told him. "Although, you are pretty old…"

"Oh, thanks a lot…" he rolled his eyes. "Fine, you know what? You're on!" he smiled and started running. Sonja giggled in joy and chased after him.

He was fast for an old Ronso, but Sonja was definitely faster. Usually, she crouched down to allow less air resistance when she ran, but as of now, all she did was run like she would walk—upright—and easily outdistance him. However, she decided to be nice to him and allow him to catch up with her. She smiled and flung her arms out, enjoying the wind blowing through her hair and caressing her body. She could resist it no more. She ran as fast as she could and laughed joyously.

"Come on, Rye! Man, you're old and slow!" she shouted, urging him to hurry. When he didn't, she grumbled and sat down on the ground, holding her ankles in her hands while sitting cross legged.

"Yes, well, the older you get, the better you are!" he called towards her.

"Unless you're a banana…" she shrugged. He stopped and blinked. He was frankly surprised that she would think of something like that. He laughed and kept walking to catch up to her. When he finally did, she was staring at him with eyes full of wonder and curiosity.

"Rye, how old are you?" she asked. He blinked, then shrugged.

"I don't know… pretty old?" he chuckled, trying to regain his breath. Sonja tilted her head to the side.

"How old is 'pretty old?'" she asked. He rolled his eyes.

"I don't know!" He told her.

"You don't know how old you are? That's not right!" she grumbled. He cocked an eyebrow in amusement.

"Well, it's not that I don't know how old I am, it's just that I don't want to tell you," he smirked. She looked up at him with the biggest, most puppy like eyes she could manage.

"Pwease?" she stuck her bottom lip out. He sighed in defeat.

"Well, let's just say I've seen every High Summoner ever…" he smiled. She blinked.

"And how many have there been?" she asked. He blinked.

"What, did you not pay attention in history class before you were officially inducted into the training league? You know you have to pass history, mathematics, reading, foreign language, phys Ed, health… stuff like that…" he reminded her.

"Well, I paid attention and all and passed all the tests, but I never found any use for them…" she tilted her head to the side.

"Knowledge makes you all the better at being what you are. If you retained all that knowledge they offered you in those classes, then you would never fail to perfect your job, no matter what or who the target."

Sonja rolled her eyes and stood up.

"Can we go now?" she asked. He nodded.

"Yes… I feel much better…and what about you? How is the moonbloom treating you?"

She shrugged as if she wasn't concerned about it. He smirked at her and laughed a bit before walking beside her.

"That's my Lieutenant for you," he smiled. "Always able to shrug off what would kill anybody else…"

They were silent then on, and traveled the rest of the day, except for Sonja's occasional stopping to relieve herself. Rye had his moments, too, but being older and more developed of body, he didn't have to stop as frequently. Around sundown, they decided to stop for the night and rest.

Sonja wrapped herself up in her cape and sat, facing the fire. Rye sat opposite her while he roasted a random animal he hunted. He looked up from carving pictures in a bone and gazed at Sonja, who was hugging her knees and staring into the fire, as if mesmerized.

"I know you're the residential pyromaniac, but a simple camp fire can't be that entertaining, can it?" he asked. She blinked and raised her head.

"Huh? What? Oh… no, not really…" she shook her head and looked back down. Rye set his work aside.

"Okay, speak up. What's wrong?" he demanded.

"Just thinking…"

"About?"

There was a silence for a short time, then Sonja let out a deep sigh through her nose and closed her eyes.

"Rye… do you remember your parents?" she asked. He blinked.

"Well… I don't know… I mean… it's been a long time since I last saw them… they died at least five hundred years ago… why?"

"I don't know… just wondering… I guess I'm just missing my daddy…" she hugged her knees tighter to her chest and wiped her eyes. Rye sighed sympathetically.

"Tell me what you remember about your father," he said softly. Without really realizing she was doing so, Sonja began to describe the man she loved so much.

"He's not really short, but not really tall… he has beautiful long bluish hair with the prettiest blue eyes I've ever seen! I always did love his eyes, and spent almost all of my spare time braiding his hair. His voice was strong, yet kind… and his hands… soft and loving when they were needed, and hard as metal when discipline was needed to be enforced… but it was always in a simple manner. I don't recall him ever once intentionally hurting me or Yuna… he might have, but I've forgotten…"

Rye started carving again. He actually wasn't listening to her, but he kept his expression interested to encourage her to talk her problems out with herself.

"Every moment he wasn't preaching the Yevonite teachings or healing someone, he was making paper dolls with Yuna or wrestling with me, or even sometimes we'd just all go on walks together and chase after SkahZev just for fun… our favorite game to play was tag… he was always it! He was always the slowest, come to think of it…"

_Shink. Shink. Shink._ Rye continued to carve. He glanced up when he heard Sonja yawn and watched as she laid down, her eyes half closed and her head on her arm.

"After dinner every night, he'd sit Yuna and me down and give us lessons on the teachings, then we'd play a game together… nothing much… just a simple memory quiz or role-playing thing… sometimes we'd even change our shoes, and act like whose ever shoes we had on… after that he'd race us to our room and after we were all tucked in and SkahZev was comfortable at the foot of the bed, Daddy would lay down between Yuna and me and we'd have one last race of the day to see who could go to sleep first… then in the morning, he'd open the window and let the warmth of the sun and the noises outside wake us up, unless it was our birthday or a holiday, in which case we got to sleep in…"

Silence…

Rye glanced up one last time when he heard a soft rhythmic snore coming from Sonja. He smiled and ate dinner, then fell asleep, his head on her side to keep her safe and keep her warm.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be the father you were used to… I could only be a friend and a protector in our terrible, awful world…" he muttered, rubbing her head before he himself drifted off to sleep.

* * *

ANYHOW! How was it? Good? Bad? Evil? Downright ominous? Go ahead! Review! Tell me what you think! Free Rum to those who review! (And Bubbly for all you LDS folk!) Luv Ya'll! 


	8. Part II Chapter V

In the Summoner's Shadow

Part II Chapter V

Entry Word: **assassin**  
Function: _noun_  
Text: a person who kills another person shot down by an unknown _assassin_  
**Synonyms **killer, murderer  
**Related Words **butcher, executioner, slaughterer, slayer

Sonja sat near Rye on a porch swing, watching the outskirts of town for movement. Rye was whittling a little figurine out of red oak. Sonja watched him for a few moments, his strong, precise strokes of the blade in his hand took offclumps of wood, transfiguringit from a chunk of kindling to the makings of a small statuette of something or other… she didn't recognize it yet.

After a few moments, she became bored with that and turned her attention to the streets of Macalania. Something odd caught her eye. She stared at it until it came into focus.

"Hey, Rye, I think we found him!" She smiled. "Or, did he find us?"

Rye blinked and looked where she had her gaze set. He could see nothing.

"It amazes me, the sensitivity of your senses…" he muttered and continued to whittle. "So, plan A or plan B?" he asked.

"Um… I'm leaning towards C…"

"C?" he asked.

"Yeah… just play along…" she smirked. He shrugged and turned his attention back to his work. When the Summoner target came closer into view, Sonja giggled and ran out towards him, coming to a skidding stop infront of him.

"Lord Lucientio?" she asked happily. The Summoner before her blinked and looked down.

"Um… yes, that's me… can I help you?" he asked. His guardian almost reacted when Sonja jumped up and down happily, clapping her hands wildly and hollering like a banshee.

"This is so cool! I never thought I'd ever meet you face-to-face!" she smiled. "Wait till I tell my Grandpa!"

"Um… would you like me to come with you?" he asked, not really sure how to respond to that. She looked up at him with eyes that seemed to beg for his presence.

"You'd do that!" she asked. Lucientio nodded. She giggled and grabbed his hand before running back towards Rye. Lucientio yelped, then chuckled as he had to run hunched over to allow her to lead him by the hand. His guardian followed behind.

"Grandpa! Grandpa!" she shouted. Rye looked up, figuring that was his cue.

"Grandpa! Look! It's Lord Lucientio! In person!" she panted, trying to regain her breath.

"Is it, now?" Rye smiled and put his carving aside. "Greetings, my lord," he stood and made the prayer sign. Lucientio returned it and nodded his hello.

"Remember when you said if I was a good girl, then I'd get to do something I always wanted to do?" Sonja asked Rye in her childish voice. He looked down at her and smiled. "Well, it happened!"

Rye chuckled and patted her head. "So it did… you always did think of him as your favorite Summoner, didn't you?"

"Yep! And I cleaned my room and was nice to the other kids in town, and helped Miss Bonnie down the street with her flowers and did everything you told me to! I was a good girl, wasn't I?" she asked with a wide smile.

"Yes, you were!" Rye smiled. He then looked up at Lucientio. "She always wanted to meet you… even more so; she wanted to accompany you,"

"What? Oh, no, sweet thing, a Pilgrimage is not something for a child to journey… it's for grown-ups and big girls and boys…" Lucientio knelt down to be Sonja's height. She looked at him with sad eyes.

"But… but…"

"I'm sorry… you can't do that… you can stay here, and be a good girl more, and I promise I'll defeat Sin, just for you!" he smiled. That didn't seem to do it for Sonja. She stuck out her bottom lip, and gave the firm impression that she was about to let loose a waterfall of tears. Rye sighed and put his hand on Lucientio's shoulder.

"Excuse me, my lord… may I talk to you in private?" he asked. Lucientio nodded and followed him a little ways away from the porch, where Xiv, the guardian, stood, comforting Sonja.

"My granddaughter there, the baby girl of my adopted son, is dying of an incurable illness… no one has ever seen it or heard of it, and no one knows how to fight it off. We only know she has barely enough time left. Please, if you would… help me out here…" Rye faked.

"Help you with what?" Lucientio asked.

"I can't afford to keep her anymore. Her medicines and health problems are costing so much that even the three season's pay her father left us from his Blitzing career has dwindled away to nothing but a few Gil. I can't even put enough food on the table for myself, much less a growing young lass with needs for intensive medical care…"

"I think I see where you're going with this… one less mouth to feed, shelter, and care for puts more Gil in your pocket for your own health, right? Well, old timer, if you were any younger, I would tell you to get a job, but seeing how elderly you are… what would you like me to do? I can't kill some one that young… it goes against my morals, not to mention religion."

"No, my lord! I wouldn't dream of you ever killing her! Listen, it was her dream from the day she knew what they did to become a guardian. You only have one, apparently. Another wouldn't hurt, especially not one as young and full of energy as her,"

"So, you want me to take her with me?" Lucientio asked.

"If you would be so kind as to do so…" Rye nodded.

"You said something about her having to be on medication. What about that?" he asked.

"True, she'll die quicker without them, but all the sooner to end her misery. She'd love to die at the side of her favorite Summoner…"

Lucientio looked down at his hands. He sighed a few times, thinking over this old Ronso's predicament, and the plight of this young girl crying on the porch not too far away from him.

"Fine… I'll do it…" he nodded sadly and gave Rye a determined handshake.

"Just… keep her safe, and if the illness gets too bad, don't wait for a fiend or her body to do her in. End the pain yourself, if you can bear to."

Lucientio nodded and walked back to the porch with Rye. He smiled down at Sonja. He poked her head gently. When she looked up, he laughed.

"What is this? Tears?" he asked, kneeling down and wiping wetness from her cheeks with his thumb. She blinked and looked at him, surprised.

"You're not crying are you?" he asked with a deep tone. She shook her head.

"No… big girls don't cry, and I'm a big girl!" she stomped her feet on the ground. He laughed.

"Of course not! What's your name, big girl?" he asked. She sniffed once and wiped her nose.

"My real name is Alee, but I like to jump around and sing a lot, so all my friends call me Cricket…" she told him. Rye blinked. 'Clever,' he thought. It was normal for the two to completely improvise acts to make their targets oblivious to the danger right under their noses, but he never saw such an act from the younger child, who would, as logic would denote, be less experienced in this sort of thing, yet it seemed so natural for her.

"Well, Cricket, as it would be, I'm in the market for another guardian. The roads from here on are very dangerous and I don't think just one guardian could take care of me by himself. Would you like to be my new guardian?" he asked.

"Yeah!" she nodded and clapped.

"Alright! Well, we can't wait long! Every second Sin is still out there, some one's in danger! We can't let people be in danger, can we?" he smiled and stood to his full height. Sonja smiled smugly.

"Nope! Can't be putting' people in danger!"

Rye laughed, though it was not a fake laugh, but a bona fide chortle at the irony behind what was said, and who of all Spira said it.

"Well, say good bye to your Grandpa, Cricket!" Xiv said, pushing her over to Rye. She hugged Rye and kissed his furry muzzle when he knelt down to her height.

"Bye bye, Grandpa!" she giggled and ran to Lucientio's side, who was already walking towards his next stop at the temple. Xiv put his hand on her shoulder and patted it.

"Welcome to the group, kiddo!" he smiled.

"Cricket, there isn't anything you want to bring with you first?" Lucientio asked. "Like, medicine?"

"No, we're all out, and Grandpa said we didn't have enough Gil to get anymore," she shook her head. She scratched at her ear, or more specifically, turned off a hidden communicator. Technology and machina… personally, she didn't see what was so wrong about it, but she trusted her father's teachings… somewhat… besides, it was such crappy technology she had a hard time making out what Rye said to Lucientio when they were but a mere four yards from her. That wasn't anything near serious enough to start a war like the one that supposedly happened all those years ago, was it?

The group walked for a while. Sonja kept up her veneer by slipping her small hand into Lucientio's large mitt. He looked down at her and sighed sadly before looking up at the temple before him.

"Cricket, I don't want you to go in there. It's dangerous. I'll leave you with Xiv in the entrance and he can tell you stories about all the previous Summoners and their guardians!" he explained.

"Okay!" she smiled. He looked down at her with sad eyes. She was so sweet… so trusting… so kind… so genteel… so loving… so innocent… so he thought…

"Excuse me, my lord?" she asked after a short while. He looked at her with a smile.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Have you ever met Lord Braska?" she asked. There was a feeling inside her that told her to ask of him. She could do nothing but comply.

"Lord Braska? Uh, yes… I have met him… we have this sort of rivalry race thing going on right now. We're trying to see who can defeat Sin first," he shrugged.

"That's kind of funny," she giggled childishly.

"Why do you ask?"

"Um… just curious, I suppose," she shrugged. Xiv looked down at her.

"He's a real nice guy… he just talks about his little girl too much, I think,"

"_Girl?_ Not _girls?_" She asked. Xiv shook his head.

"No, he only has one," he told her, then blinked as she sighed. "Why, is something wrong?"

_So he does believe I am dead… as I believed he was dead…_

"N… no… I was just always told he had two daughters, that's all," she shrugged.

"You sure seem to know a lot about all the Summoners. Why is that?" Lucientio asked. "Just curious, I suppose," he added with a smile.

"Oh, nothing. I just like to know who's saving me from Sin," she smiled. Lucientio chuckled loudly and patted her head. Xiv laughed also and shook his head in hilarious despair.

"Grandpa and daddy never told me, and momma always told me not to ask, but what happens to a Summoner at the end of their Pilgrimage? Everyone always acts so sad when they talk about it, and I'm a curious kid!" she smiled. Half of this was her acting, but the other half was certified wonder. Braska never told her, Auron ignored her when she asked, and Yuna didn't seem to know, either. Not at that age, at least.

"Curiosity killed the Ronso," Xiv muttered and dropped his gaze. "You really shouldn't ask about something like that-"

"No, Xiv…" Lucientio interrupted. "It's okay… she's just trying to broaden her range of knowledge for her new job,"

"Yeah, what he said," she pointed to "her Summoner."

"I'll tell you later, and if I don't, you definitely find out…" Lucientio sighed and hung his head before smiling a fake smile and leading them into the temple. Sonja sat down against the wall. She looked up at Lucientio when he called her name.

"Cricket, come on,"

"But I thought you said you wanted me to stay here," she raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, but I'm wondering if that was the right thing to decide. I mean, I might need your help in there. You're a smart girl, and the Trials sure take a lot of brain power!" he smiled at her and held his hand out. She yawned and stretched. _That definitely was not acting…_ she thought to herself.

"Actually, I'm really tired. I didn't get my nap today. Can I please stay here?" she asked, looking at him with tired eyes. He paused for a moment, then closed his eyes and nodded.

"Yes, you may. We'll come wake you up afterwards," he told her and followed Xiv.

Sonja yawned and stretched again, popping her back. She lay down with her head on her arms while curling up in her cape. She was in the midst of drifting off when she heard a gruff voice speaking.

"Holy crap, another one of these things? How many more are there?" the voice asked. She absolutely ignored it and fluttered off into the first stages of sleep.

"Apparently several," another, younger voice replied, obviously annoyed. This voice popped Sonja out of her woozy state. She sat strait up and looked towards the entrance. A short, familiar chuckle sounded and her heart stopped mid-beat.

"Well, Jecht, good news on your part then! Only a few more after this, then its Sin itself."

"My lord," the previous voice started, but the oldest voice interrupted.

"Auron, please… drop it,"

Sonja's mouth hung open. _Oh no! What if he sees me! Wait! I want him to see me! WAIT! NO! He can't see me! Not like this! Not as an assassin!_ She gasped when she heard footsteps coming towards her. _What to do! What to do! _She asked herself, but came up with no answer.

All she could do was stare at the entrance as her beloved father walked in and…

Stared…

Directly…

At her…

_Daddy…_

* * *

Lord, I feel so bloody evil! I love it! I guess here is where I should introduce my new muse... he's taken over the task of making sure I write on this story... Say hello, Phen...

Phen: Rammu, Phen!  
If you can't tell... he's a bloody blonde haired freak of nature! Why he developed as my muse is beyond me... --'  
Phen: Famm, po lusbynyceuh, E syga oui muug cusa fryd Case-hunsym...  
I suppose that's true... though NO ONE is as weird as you, Phen...  
Phen: Dryd'c lyica E ys BRUAHEQ, DRA SYT CLEAHDECD!  
Emphasis on "mad!"  
Phen: Sucd tavehydmo! E luhlin!  
Anyhow... I gotta go do stuff now... Phen, be a sweet heart and give the instructions... Heh! Phen, a sweet heart! Haha! I've lost it...

Phen: Famm, Myteac yht Kahdc, ed fuimt tu TheCat y knayd taym uv bneta yht camv-acdaas du kad y najeaf! Yht, E's hud dryd knayd yd luhjehlehk ran, pid dra suna najeafc cra kadc, dra suna megamo cra ec du bucd ib y haf lrybbea, cu ev oui naymmo mega Cuhzy'c recduno, drah oy haat du najeaf! Ur, yht po dra fyo, ev oui lyh'd ihtancdyht fryd E's cyoehk, E RYDA OUI, OY PMUUTO OAJUHEDA! Pid, ihdem oui maynh drec Brah-dycdel myhkiyka, oui lyh dnyhcmyda ed yd http/ Yht, zicd yc y meddma nasehtan, bmayca najeaf! Ed fuimt pa Brah-vmebbeh'-dycdel ev oui tet... Dryhg oui, yht ryja y hela meva!


	9. Part II Chapter VI

Well, here's another chapter. Sorry, guys. The inspiration has been going about as fast as molasses in january, and Phen, the little lesbian left handed ninja monkey of doom, has been doing nothing but pestering me... anyone wanna give him muse lessons?

* * *

In the Summoner's Shadow

Part II Chapter VI

Slay

Function: Verb

Etymology: Middle English _slen, _from Old English _slEan _to strike, slay; akin to Old High German _slahan _to strike, Middle Irish _slachta _stricken  
_transitive senses_  
**1** to kill violently, wantonly, or in great numbers; _broadly_ to strike down

"D…daddy…" she whispered breathlessly. The dark-skinned guardian made a grunt-like sound and turned towards her.

"Who are you?" he asked rudely. She glared and stared at him. Braska blinked and looked over at her.

"Well, hello, there!" she smiled and walked over. He knelt down infront of her, his blue eyes gleaming with kindness. "Are you lost or something?"

Sonja could not speak for the life of her. She wanted to scream out to him, call him "daddy" and cry in his arms… but she couldn't. No. She had already gotten herself into trouble for that… she had already gotten herself practically killed for that… for him… was it worth it?

"Are you okay, little one?" Braska's kind voice asked, worriedly. She blinked and shook her head to clear her thoughts.

"Y… yes…" she stuttered. "I'm fine…"

"I asked you if you were lost," he restated. She blinked, then shook her head.

"No, my lord. I'm waiting for my Summoner to return…" she explained, feeling it extremely out of character for herself to be calling him- of all people- "my lord."

"You're a guardian?" the dark skinned man scoffed.

"Yes, I am!" she glared at him, her pride wounded.

"Aren't you a little young for that?" Auron asked.

Sonja shivered at the sound of his voice- the voice that kept her alive through the darkest of nights during her sicknesses when it would have been the end of her if she fell asleep. The voice that sternly guided her on right from wrong, good from bad. The voice that never snitched on her, but always warned her father of harm that would befall her, and the voice that she loved almost more than her own father.

"I… I'm five and a half, going on six, sir…" she told him, feeling that awkward misplaced feeling again. He blinked. _Oh, no! He recognizes me!_ He turned his sight away. _Maybe not…_

"Are you? You're nothing more than a child who should be at home, learning from mommy how to cook and clean and please a man! What a crybaby I bet you are!"

"Jecht! That's _quite_ enough out of you!" Braska barked… or… what from him could be considered a bark. That was all it took, though for Sonja to completely lose her temper at the man.

"Listen here, you!" she growled and jumped up, grabbing him by the hair while wagging her finger in his face.

"I will have you know, _sir_, that I never knew my mother! My father died a few years ago! I haven't any idea what has become of my siblings! Lord Lucientio is kind enough to take care of me while my body slowly dies of some sort of malignant… thing!" she screamed at him, surprised she remembered to keep her act up in the heat of her rage.

"Sit down, little girl," Jecht pushed on her forehead. Sonja glared and kicked at him. Her foot hit his shin and he crumbled to the ground, grabbing his leg and yelling.

"Wow… kid's got a good kick!" Auron chuckled to himself. Braska sighed and shook his head.

"You said you were here with Lucientio?" he asked. Sonja turned to him.

"Yeah! I mean… yes, my lord…" she nodded. Braska laughed.

"Oh, don't worry about manners! I have a seven year old at home! I'm used to it!" he told her.

"Yes, but daddy and granddad taught me to always be polite…" she explained. Braska nodded understandingly.

"Let's see… Xiv is his guardian, right?" he asked.

"Yes, my lord… like me!" she jumped up and down. He smiled and chuckled.

"Of course! Can't forget you!" he laughed. "What's your name?"

"You're only allowed to call me Cricket! Call me anything else and I'll do this!" she smiled evilly then ran over and jumped on Jecht, just as he was rolling over. He let out a loud yelp of pain when her knee landed right smack dab in his crotch.

"Uh… Cricket it is then!" Braska laughed nervously.

"Well, I did that only because he was mean to me…" she shrugged and stood up. "That, and I don't like him!"

"And you thought I was the only one!" Auron smiled at Braska. The Summoner laughed slightly.

"Well, Cricket, you must be excusing us now… we have to get through the Trials…" He told her, then stood up.

"Yes…" she nodded, then sighed sadly. She looked down at her feet as they passed. Braska's hand ruffled her long black hair a bit. Auron punched her shoulder gently and stopped beside her. She blinked and held her arm.

"Um, owe!" she glared up at him. He smiled down and held his fist out.

"Good luck, right?" he asked. She blinked, then smiled and punched her fist into his.

"Yeah! Good luck!" she giggled as he squeezed her hand gently and walked past.

"Come on, Jecht! You're slowing us down!" Auron shouted. The last guardian shambled by, his hands between his legs. He stopped slightly to glare and growl at Sonja, but started running when she jumped towards him. She laughed slightly to herself, then let her mouth turn upside down and tears well up in her eyes.

"Daddy…" she groaned and sat down against the wall. She looked up at the statues lining the room. "I don't want to have to see you as one of these…"

She leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. The tears were warm on her lashes and freely ran down her soft skin.

Her father, the Summoner. Wow, she should be proud, she thought. Yet, she was anything but proud. She was sad, lonely, grievous, heavy-hearted and discouraged to take on life. Before, as a child who didn't know the fate of her father, she was happy and cheerful, knowing Braska was out there somewhere, and if she was diligent enough, and didn't give up, she would find him one day.

That was what he taught both girls. Everyday, Braska would drill into Yuna's and Sonja's heads the idea that to give up was stupid, and silly, as the girls would say.

His words soared through her mind as she thought back that far.

_Never give in… keep at it… nothing is impossible if you put your mind, soul, and heart to it… nothing… you want to fly, little Sonja? Keep trying, you will one day…_

"Daddy…" she sighed. "I… I have to give up… for you…"

Her tears trickled as freely as a creek down her face and splashed on the stone floor, making small puddles. Her cries of despair echoed in the room until slowly, little by little, she faded into the darkness of sleep.

However, she wasn't asleep very long, or so she thought. Soon, she felt arms around her. She sleepily opened her eyes and looked around. She saw the ground moving and trees and other things going by.

"Well, the dead rises!" Lucientio's voice laughed as she pushed herself up on a shoulder. She looked down at the shoulder and saw who it was she was laying on. Xiv smiled at her.

"Hey, there! Did the move wake you?" he asked.

"Move? What move?" she blinked, rubbing her eyes.

"Well, when we left the temple, you were still sleeping, so we took you with us in our arms since we couldn't wake you up. Eventually, after trading every now and then, I summoned Ifrit and he carried you for a while, until he suddenly was needed elsewhere, and thus left… actually just a few moments ago…"

Lucientio pointed back to a foot print a few feet away where the grass was burned and charred and, well, dead. She blinked.

"Oh… sorry… didn't know I was so tired…" she yawned. Xiv smiled.

"Oh, that's okay! You are a healing, growing young girl who needs her rest!"

"Yes, indeed… was told by Lord Braska that he came upon the most polite guardian he'd ever met who happened to be named Cricket," Lucientio smiled. Sonja laughed slightly.

"Oh… yeah…" She stretched, then jumped down from Xiv's shoulder and walked in between them. "So… where are we going now?" she asked.

Lucientio put a hand to his chin. "I don't know… well, I do know… but I think I want to make a stop before I get there… you know, visit a friend first…"

"I see…" she nodded. With a sigh, she stared forward and walked with them, Xiv's hand placing itself on her shoulder.

* * *

I think I can call my self evil, now... anyhow... since it's late at night and Phen is sleeping (thank god/allah/buddha/yevon/ra/whatothergodsyouhave!) I'm gonna go to sleep myself! BTW, Kym! You need to get online!Summer is coming, and I will probably be out of school by the time I put the next chappie up. Updating may decline, or incline... I don't know. I plan to have a very busy summer, so it may be the first... love ya'll! REVIEW, YA LITTLE TURKEYS!


	10. Part II Chapter VII

Hey, fellas... sorry.. inspiration has been low lately... hopefully it will kick back up here some time soon... two more chapters with Lucientio... then you get to meet someone REALLY cool!

The fight scene was written my my good old friend Justin, because I SUCK at that type of thing, that's why is sounds kind of not-like-Cat sorta sounding... enjoy!

* * *

In the Summoner's Shadow

Part II Chapter VII

_Fight fire with fire…_

Sonja sighed. She sat on the porch of the old house, staring out into the night. Lucientio got them here shortly before sunset, and he and Xiv went in and talked with Arif, Lucientio's friend that was talked about. Sonja really didn't like him, but that didn't matter.

Now, she sat by herself on the front porch. She actually had been indoors for a short time, until she became bored… which case, she said she had a bad feeling and was going to go outside as part of her… 'Guardian duties.'

"Well, hello, little one… you seem bored…" Arif's old voice greeted as the seventy year old man walked outside. He sat in an old rocking chair and smiled at Sonja who was sitting on his porch rails. She looked over at him and scoffed.

"To say I'm bored is to say Sin has a bad reputation…"

"An understatement?" he asked with a smile. She nodded, then turned her attention back to the night sky.

"You are young to be on a pilgrimage… even as a guardian…" he told her.

"What's it to ya? I'm dying, anyhow…" she sighed and kept up her acting. He stared at her for a moment, then chuckled and shook his head.

"No, you're not! You're a perfectly healthy child, if a bit on the light side."

Sonja blinked and stared at him.

"What the who? How did you know?" she asked.

"I know a lot of stuff…" he told her, then looked out into the night as well.

"Tell me what you know…" she demanded.

"Well," he sighed and began. "I know that we revolve around the sun, not the other way around… I know about photosynthesis and the plants that use it… I know about your father and his marriage to your mother and your sister… I know about your father's guardians- the outcast monk and the drunkard,"

Sonja blinked and her eyes widened.

"You know about daddy?" she asked. He nodded gently.

"Yes… something else I know about…" he began slowly. Sonja stared at him with interest.

"Yes?"

"Is something you hold secret from everyone…"

"Yes?"

"Under your sleeve right there," he pointed to her arm. "Is a mark… not anything big… just a simple mark… signifies you as the worst thing you could have become… you assassin!" he hissed the last part. Sonja gripped her branded shoulder and glared at him.

"How'd you know about that?" She asked.

He chuckled and reached in his shirt, pulling out the same medallion she wore.

"I know about your borrowed red magic from Rye… I know about the do's and don'ts of your profession… you see… I am one, too…"

"How come you're not back at base?" she asked, glaring and whispering slightly.

"Well, Lieutenant, I am on an assignment myself…"

"Who are you targeting?" she asked. He sighed and kept smiling. He didn't seem to know she was there, and stared up at the sky. "Who are you targeting?" she repeated.

Still, no answer from Arif.

"Answer me!" Sonja demanded, walking over to him and standing infront of him.

Suddenly, before she knew what was happening, a flash appeared and disappeared just as quickly, and she felt a sharp sting across her arm. She glanced down at a long red streak from her elbow to her wrist, and noticed out of the corner of her eye- Arif was sheathing a hidden Claymore at his side. She blinked, then looked at him, frightened.

"Sorry to say this, Lieutenant, but well… quite frankly, _you_ are the target…" he glared. In a flash as quick as his sword, Arif struck Sonja across the face with his heavy boots, sending her crashing to the ground right off the edge of the porch.

"Go ahead and scream… Xiv and Lucientio are asleep… they won't hear you… not under the spell," he laughed and walked over to her. She knelt on the ground, holding her bleeding arm. He had cut down to the bone, through all the nerves and veins and muscles… that arm wouldn't be used for a while…

"Look at me," he demanded. "I wish to see the face of my prey as they slowly die under my blade…"

Sonja glared up at the old assassin, then raised a hand out at him igniting the air in a focused trail of flames that flew directly at Arif. As the flames approach him, he simply smiled and mumbled a few words that Sonja quickly recognized as a null-flame spell. The fire hit the barrier and simply diminished into nothing.

"You cheater!" Sonja blinked and stared in disbelief.

"Cheating? Since when was that classified as cheating?" Arif just shook his head in laughter.

Sonja growled in irritation and kicked off the ground towards a wall, then sprung off of it and landed on the roof of Arif's house. Sonja looked down at him from on the roof.

"Are you coming up, or do I have to hit you all the way down there?"

Arif ran forward, putting his hand on his swords handle. He jumped forward at a tree trunk, kicked off it and flew high through the air towards Sonja. Arif drew his sword in mid air and brought it over her head, holding it in both hands. As he began his decent towards Sonja, he brought the sword down at her, using his own strength combined with the force of gravity.

Sonja followed him with her eyes, studying her every move he made. She saw the shine of the sword, then held up her hands and created a honeycomb-shaped protect spell over her head. The sword came down and hit the barrier with immense force, sending out a large shock wave.

The force of the shock wave pushed Arif through the air, knocking the sword out of his hand. Sonja kicked off, jumping after him. Arif landed on his back, a sickening crack following as his sword stabbed into the wood of the porch ten feet away.

Sonja began descending right as Arif did. She pulled up one leg into a knee and brought it down towards Arif's chest. Arif seeing the knee, quickly rolled out of the way causing Sonja to hit the dirt directly.

He put his hand down and pushed himself to his feet before looking at Sonja, who was holding her knee painfully.

"That," he told her, popping his back, "was some major barrier."

"Yes, well… you know… I've had practice…" Sonja looked at him and pulled back a fist and thrust it towards Arif's groin.

Arif blocked the punch and followed up with a crescent kick, bringing it high in the air and then down at Sonja's head. Sonja reached up and grabbed the foot as it came down. Sonja let go of the leg and dropped quickly to the ground to sweep him off his foot. Arif, extremely off balance, felt his leg fly from under him as he fell to the ground and smashed his head.

Sonja rolled backwards into a standing position. She raised a hand up and mumbled a few words followed by moving her hand down; this was shadowed by a large bolt of lighting that struck Arif in the stomach.

Arif jolted up wards into a sitting position, only to be beheaded by his own sword that Sonja held throat high infront of him. His body slumped and his head rolled off to the side. She smiled evilly, then stood above the eyes that stared up at her.

"Look at me, Arif…" she told him, holding the blade up to her lips. "I wish to see the face of my predator as they slowly die under their own blade…"

She laughed slightly, then stabbed the blade into his skull before walking off into the house. She coughed slightly, then screamed out in fake fear, running into Lucientio's room.

"Lucientio! Lord Lucientio! Wake up!" she pretended to cry, grabbing his robe and tugging on it violently. He sat up, snorting awake.

"Huh? What? Wha? Oh, Cricket! What's wrong?" He asked, looking at her.

"Arif! He's… he's…" she choked. He put his hands on her shoulders.

"Calm down… easy, girl… easy…" he tried to calm her down, but it didn't work too well. She grabbed his wrists.

"Arif was murdered! He was talking to me all nice and stuff, then he got stabbed by an assassin!" She blubbered. He blinked.

"What? Xiv! Xiv!" he shouted. The guardian blinked and ran in. "Go outside! She was attacked! Look," he held out Sonja's arm. Xiv nodded and ran out side.

Lucientio held Sonja to his chest, patting her back gently.

"It's okay, Cricket… calm down… it will be okay…" he told her. She kept the crying act up for a while, then pretended to fall asleep. He laid her in his bed, then left the room. Sonja sighed and sat up.

"The least ya could have done was heal me, ya bloody unthankful Behemoth!" she glared, rubbing her cut. She winced. "Ow…"

"Cricket! Good. You're up. Come on, we're leaving. If there's an assassin following us, then it's not safe here. Come on."

She yelped as she was suddenly hauled out of bed and onto her feet by Xiv.

"Ayah!" she shouted, falling when he stopped suddenly.

"You didn't see what the assassin looked like, did you?" he asked. She stared at him for a while, then nodded slightly.

"They had black hair, but that's all I saw…" she told him. It was true! She had black hair!

"That's not much… but it does narrow it down…" he sighed, then kept walking, holding her hand in his.

"How you doing, Cricket? Are you okay?" Lucientio asked as they walked out. She nodded.

"She's about as okay as it gets for a child who just saw someone slaughtered infront of her…" Xiv shrugged.

"Alright… come on, guys… let's get out of here before that assassin comes back…" Lucientio said, then started running, Xiv following him.

"Can you keep up, Cricket?" he asked. She nodded, running to catch up with Lucientio, sighing slightly.

Why was she targeted, and who targeted her?

* * *

Ooh! Scooby doo mystery time! Whooo! Anyhow... push da button, and throw me some ideas! 


	11. Part II Chapter VIII

Hewwo, again! School's out, and I'm planning to write a bit more. I think I'll have one more chapter to put up today! Don't you just love me! Anyhow... all those out there who are reading and not reviewing, I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE BECAUSE I DO IT, TOO! You really should review... that would be really super...

* * *

In the Summoner's Shadow

Part II Chapter VIII

Sometimes, smart people do very, very stupid things…

It was three weeks after the assassination scare of Lucientio and his guardians. It was an entire month since the child known as Cricket was added to their plight and the duo became a group. It was two days since the death of Xiv through some mysterious outside force. His death had been quick. Painless? Not from the looks of things…

It was strange to Lucientio, how Xiv died. It was still confusing, even in his current position. To Sonja, whom Lucientio now found out was not the Cricket he knew, and she was not dying from some sort of untreatable cancerous disease- in fact, according to what he was currently learning, "Cricket" was a very healthy, and, quite contrary to what he thought he once knew, was anything but dying- his death was obvious.

Actually… from what he was seeing now from the elderly in appearance, yet youthful in strength grasp of who he thought was Cricket- or… Sonja's grandfather- his death was soon to come to pass, also...

"Rye! Please! Just… put him down!" Sonja was standing a few feet away from Rye, whose death-hold on Lucientio's throat kept the Summoner in suspense as to what was going on.Her screams echoed through thenight.At first,Lucientio's attention had been on thinking of a way to get down, but after a few moments of choking, struggling, choking, struggling, and choking, he realized he wasn't going anywhere for a while, so decided just to try and figure out what was going on.

"Sonja. Look, you already got in trouble with refusing to take your father out, which I highly doubt you should be punished for considering his relation to you. I will not allow you to get yourself into more trouble by refusing this case! Even if I have to kill your target myself, you will not send a termination!" Rye growled at the child.

"Why does he have to die!" she shouted back at the older Ronso.

"Because, he was targeted by someone. It doesn't matter who, and it's not your job to ask why. It's your job to kill," Rye told her.

"I don't want him to die!" she yelled, stomping her feet and glaring up at Rye with serious, teary eyes that demanded obedience.

"Sonja, Sonja, Sonja," he tsked. "You seem to have done the worst thing any assassin can do… you've become attached to your target…"

"No! Look, I've had this plan in my head for the past few days. Daddy is a Summoner… Lucientio is a Summoner… if I can get Lucientio to Sin before Daddy gets there, then… I can save Daddy…" she said, apparently fighting back tears.

"No, you can't. You're father's dead to you, child… just as you are dead to him…" Rye told her, walking away from her with Lucientio still in his grasp.

"Rye…" Sonja blinked when she heard those words. "He's… he's not dead… I saw him in the temple!"

"If he's not dead yet, Sonja, he will be soon…"

"Might I say something?" Lucientio choked out when he saw tears welling up in Sonja's eyes.

"What?" Rye shouted at him.

"The child… she's so young… she needs her father. I may not know who you are or who she is or what's going on, but if there is any way my Pilgrimage can save her father, please let me finish it and save him," Lucientio begged.

"He's gonna die anyway, Rye! Let him die constructively!" Sonja begged.

"Sorry, Sonja…" Rye shrugged and tightened his grip on Lucientio's throat to the point at which the Summoner found it rather difficult to even breathe.

"No! Rye! Please! Stop!" She cried.

Rye ignored her and slammed Lucientio's body onto the ground so hard, he snapped in two- flesh torn apart and all. Sonja gasped and turned her head away from the carnage.

"Get over Braska, Sonja. You already saved his life once," Rye glared at her and dropped the half of Lucientio he held onto the ground and walked away from the mess.

"L… Lucientio…" Sonja knelt at his side. He was still a little bit alive.

"Kill him and end his misery, then meet me back at base."

Sonja glared at Rye's back, hugging Lucientio's head to her shoulder.

"I hate you, Rye…" she told him. He turned and glanced at her as if it was nothing more than a simple comment.

"Of course you do. You know what, though? You'll love me later…"

"Y… you killed my father!" she screamed at him, standing up.

"I killed your father? How?" he asked, turning to her. She pointed down at Lucientio with one hand and shook her fist with the other.

"He was my last chance at saving Daddy and sparing him from destruction! You slaughtered my one hope of that! How could you! I hate you!"

"Hate is such a strong word, child. Don't use it so freely. Get back to base."

"Damn you to Hell, Rye…" she choked on her tears, then pulled out a dagger at her side. She shot through the air at Rye who was turned away from her. He heard her wild yell of fury, and turned only in time to hold his hand up to guard his face from being cut up. He grabbed her wrist with one hand and tried to wring the dagger from her.

"Let go!" He demanded, finding she had a death grip on it.

"_You_ let go, murderer!" she shouted. A smirk grazed along his furry muzzle.

"I'm a murderer, eh?" He laughed, then threw her to the ground. She grunted when she bounced a few times before sliding to a halt. Sonja attempted to rise again, yet found Rye's large Ronso foot in the middle of her chest, pinning her to the ground. Sure, he was just merely a Red Mage, but still, he had his tiger-like strength, even in his ancient age.

"I… can't breathe!" Sonja choked out.

"You're not supposed to. Now shut up and listen. You seem to be on the rebellious side lately. I'm just going to dismiss it as nothing more than your youth keeping you thinking. However, you must learn to keep your mind from giving you ideas… it's not healthy for an assassin. Now… look at that mess…" he kicked her over to Lucientio's now dead form. "… if I remember correctly, you were the one assigned to this job. Why? Because you are the top assassin in the entire guild. You far surpass even the Generals themselves. You know how an assassin achieves that kind of greatness? By slaughtering and slaughtering every chance they get. You calling me a murderer is like the stove calling the kettle black. Now, if you don't mind, I must be getting back to the base. I'll meet you there…"

Rye's foot landed itself rather harshly into Sonja's chest and she choked out a cry of pain when a loud crack sounded its way all the way through her body into her skull. Her lungs took on a sudden hurt and she rolled over onto her side, unable to breathe.

"Don't be late, child…" he smiled devilishly, leaving her there to watch as the one that raised her since she was found half dead outside the place she called home walked away from her.

Darkness closed in around her, and the simplest breath of air was beauty to her lungs, though she could not get to it.

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I know I said I'd have a new character in next chapter. I may or may not... I kinda want a little bit of fluff next chappie, but whatever... you never can tell what comes out of the black hole I call a Mind... have fun... Review... ALL REVIEWERS GET TO SOMEHOW MAKE A GUEST APPEARENCE IN UPCOMING CHAPTERS! 


	12. Part II Chapter IX

Hey guys. Sorry it took me so long to get this out. Sometimes you get inspiration, and sometimes you don't! BTW, I could really care less about the reviews now. I write this for those I know want to read it. I LOVE YOU, KYM AND HANNAH! YOU ARE THE AWESOME! So, yeah...

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In the Summoner's Shadow

Part II Chapter IX

I see you crying and it rains  
Washing away the bad days  
Washing away the pain loss brings  
And then you smile though it aches  
Because you don't believe in mistakes  
Just that we made a mess of things

- Overboard, Poets of the Fall

"Hey, kid!"

"I think it's too late…"

Sonja twitched slightly. That voice… she knew it… it was familiar. Her brain was lacking oxygen. She wasn't thinking clear enough to picture who was talking.

"You people are really pessimistic, aren't you?" the gruff voice asked. Strong hands shook Sonja's shoulders.

"Jecht! Don't move her! She's in pretty bad condition, you could make it worse!"

Jecht… where did that name sound familiar? Oh… right… the guardian she kneed in the nuts… which guardian was he, again? Her fathers? No, Lord Braska's… but… Lord Braska was her father… oh, yeah…

"What's wrong with her? She's not breathing!"

"Her chest looks swollen a bit…"

Two hands pressed down on her chest and she opened her mouth to gasp, but her organs hurt too much to do so.

"Whatever attacked them broke her ribs, it feels like… might have punctured a lung, too…"

Sonja's head, still groggy, finally realized who was around her. She winced and tried to open her eyes. She looked strait up at the man she once changed the voice pitch of.

"Aha! Told you it wasn't too late!" Jecht smirked, rubbing Sonja's head. "You okay, kid?" he asked.

Sonja tried to speak, but she couldn't breathe, much less talk.

"Does she look okay?" Auron asked, walking over to her.

"Can you heal her?" Jecht looked at Braska as the oldest kneeled down. He looked at her, putting his hand on her head. She closed her eyes and winced as he pressed down gently on the sides of her chest.

"If she has a rib in a lung, then it might heal awkwardly and leave her injured. I'd rather try and reset the bones first… that would be a long painful process for her," Braska sighed, his kind eyes full of worry.

"This guy's long gone… maybe you should Send him," Auron suggested, lifting the arm of Lucientio.

"Later. I'll try and save Cricket first, then if I fail, I'll only have to perform once," the Summoner replied.

"Well, don't fail!" Jecht said, pulling Sonja's head into his cross-legged lap.

"I won't on purpose…" Braska said as he pulled a dagger out of his boot and carefully cut a slit in the side of Sonja's chest. She made a few choked sounds while her father pushed aside muscle to get to the broken ribs.

"That's disgusting!" Jecht put a hand over his mouth to keep from barfing. Auron kneeled down when he saw the pained look in Sonja's eyes and grasped her hand, squeezing gently. She squeezed back, then blinked at the tingling sensation his touch shot up her arm.

Braska pulled on the bone and moved it back into place, wincing when a sickening sound rang out when the rib slid from the tissue of the lung. He looked to her face when she screamed and started breathing.

"Sorry, Cricket… but that's good news…" he looked back to his work, his hand glowing as he tried to heal the bone.

"Wha? What's wrong!" Jecht asked when he noticed a strange look of disappointment on his friend's face.

"It's not healing…" Braska told him.

"What! Why not!"

"I don't know!"

"Are you not strong enough!"

"Jecht! Shut up!" Auron told him. Sonja grabbed the pendant at her neck and pulled on it, trying to remove it. Auron glanced down, then took it in his own hand and yanked the chain loose.

Braska's face creased and he seemed confused.

"That's odd…" he watched as the bone he just healed mended itself together. "Oh, well… maybe it just took her body a few moments to realize it was being healed. I'm working as fast as I can, Cricket…"

Another rib was yanked from her lung and she was able to breathe finally, although she was still in great pain. Braska pulled his hands out of her chest cavity and she coughed harshly.

"Poor kid…" Jecht winced and wiped crimson blood from Sonja's lip. Braska's soft hand laid itself on Sonja's cut chest. She felt the cool chill of the healing spell shooting through her skin and muscle.

"You okay now?" Auron asked, squeezing her hand. She nodded.

"Yeah…" she muttered, sitting up.

"Can you breathe properly?" Braska asked. "Are you hurting anywhere?"

Sonja waved her hand dismissively.

"I'm fine! I'm fine!" she sighed, then looked down at the amulet in Auron's hand. She took it from him, smiling her thanks, then putting it back on.

That amulet… it was the source of her access to Red Magic. Nice, but sort of a curse on her part. Every assassin that ever got an assignment was given one. It was a safety measure to keep the guild a secret, especially in the case that an assassin was captured. In this situation, the assassin was trained to commit suicide and take the secret of the guild to their death. Perhaps some one might try and heal the assassin to get information out of them. That's where the amulet would come in and nullify any healing spells, thus preventing the resurrection of the assassin.

"Cricket!" Jecht's voice shouted at her, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Huh? Wha?" she blinked. The three men were staring at her.

"Are you awake?" he asked. She nodded.

"Sorry… was thinking of something…"

"Well, what happened here?" Braska asked, looking around.

"A fiend, probably…" Auron shrugged. Sonja shook her head.

"No… I don't know what happened…"

She did. She saw it, and even argued over it with the one she thought she could trust the most. It was her one chance at saving her father, and now it had gone. No, it hadn't gone. It was taken from her. Stolen, would be the most appropriate word for it.

Maybe there was another way of saving Braska, but she saw none. None that she could do. She could get to Sin before him, but she would have no way of defeating the monster. She'd need aeons. Guardians she wouldn't need. She can protect herself, and with her resources and speed, she could easily make it around the world and back before he got there, even with him being this close, but that would mean death for her, and that would contradict her hopes of living the life she dreamed of with her father and sister.

"Are you okay?" Braska asked. Yevon, how many times in the last five minutes had she heard something like that!

"Guys! Please, I'm fine!" she sighed, hugging her knees. Braska sat down beside her. Jecht and Auron suddenly got up and walked off a little bit away. She paid no attention to it.

"This must be very hard for you… losing your Summoner…" he lowered his gaze.

"Sure," she sighed and hugged her knees, staring into the distance.

"I bet you're feeling bad because you survived, right? Listen, I would have tried to save Lucientio, but he was long gone by the time we got here. It was by chance that we even found you! You'd be dead by now, had Jecht not needed to find a bush."

Sonja just kept staring forward. Braska let out another sigh and hugged her. Her heart skipped a beat. It wasn't a huge hug. Nothing like he used to do. Just a simple arm around the shoulders, but still…

"I know what it's like to lose. I lost someone very dear to my heart. The day they were lost, it felt like a part of my soul had been ripped away. I still bear that loss today."

Confessions of a professional had-it-taken-all-away. She might pay attention. She'd need this when Braska was done with his journey for death.

"How do you stand it?" she asked, looking at him.

"There's really no way to bear it… you just… cry for a few days, maybe a week, possibly even a month. Then, in a desperate attempt to regain them, you turn to fond memories, even horrible memories. Finally, after you waste away for a while, you realize that life is still going on, and it's not waiting for you. That's when you get up, hide your sorrow beneath a smile, and move on, never ever getting rid of that pressure of sadness in your heart. The more dear the one you lost, the heavier the load."

She leaned into his hug and put her head on his shoulder. More like his chest. He wasn't all that tall, but she was actually rather short for her age.

"I have a question… why are you a Summoner?" she asked. Braska blinked. He'd never actually thought he'd be asked that question.

"Well, for one, I want my daughter to grow up safe, where she doesn't have to worry about a world full of Sin."

"Is that all?" she asked after a short moment. He nodded.

"Yes, that's all."

"But… why not let someone else do it? You have a daughter to keep safe, I understand, but why kill yourself for it? Leave it up to someone who's got nothing to lose!"

Braska stopped and blinked, looking down at her.

"All Summoners have something to lose. That's why we're Summoners in the first place- to protect what we don't want to lose,"

"But, what you don't want to lose is losing you!" She glared up at him.

He smiled slightly and sighed, closing his eyes before looking at her, his voice and expression as calm and gentle as ever.

"You're very mature for someone your age, Cricket, but you just don't understand."

"You're right! I don't understand! I don't think I want to! I just want to know why Summoners do what they do! Maybe if we stopped fighting back, it would do what it was sent here to do, then leave us all alone!"

"What makes you say that?" he blinked at the sudden change in topic.

"According to the teachings of Yevon, Machina is what brought Sin almost a thousand years ago. Machina, therefore should _never_ be used. Sin is the price we pay for using machina. If the people of Spira believe and follow Yevon's teachings, we then atone for the use of machina long ago and Spira will attain purity. It is then when Spira will live their lives without Sin!"

"I know what the teachings are, believe me!" he smiled slightly, amazed that one as young as herself knew this so well.

"If you know that, then you should also know that _apparently_ Sin was sent here for a reason! That reason would be to teach us a lesson! Obviously we haven't learned that lesson yet, thus it keeps returning! If it were around long enough, we would find through trial and error what keeps pissing the beast off and stop it and thus stop Sin!" She was up on her feet, pacing, ranting, throwing her arms out, and panting with determination to get her point across.

Braska had a warm cheery grin on his face in amusement at her antics. A light chuckle tickled the back of his throat and he shook his head slightly.

"You know, that actually has logic in it," he told her, propping an elbow on his knee.

"That's just something I've always been considering…" she calmed down and sat across from him. He continued to smile at her.

"You're more grown up than you let on, you know? You have spirit, and lots of it, too! Kind of reminds me of someone else I used to know."

_I am that one you used to know…_ she wanted to tell him, but she knew nothing good would come out of it. She was silent for a while, staring down at her feet.

"So, Summoners die for a few people, but end up saving the whole world…" she sighed. Braska nodded.

"Kind of a perk for everyone else," he chuckled slightly.

"You know, I'd always hear the stories about Summoners sacrificing themselves, but I never felt anything for them. I mean, I'd feel something to the affect of, 'Wow, that was sure nice of them,' or something, but nothing this hard core of a feeling. It's a completely different story and mind frame when the one sacrificing himself is someone so close to you…" She stared at him, feeling tears welling up in her eyes.

"Heart breaking, isn't it?" he asked her. She nodded.

Sonja hugged her knees and buried her face in her arms. She wouldn't cry. She would NOT cry infront of him. Never. Even if she had to rip her eyes out, she would not do it… or at least that's what she told herself.

The promise became harder and harder to keep when Braska himself blinked and cleared his throat against tears. She looked up at him in awe. Never had she seen HIM cry.

"Sorry, Cricket. Listen…" he sighed. "I kind of know how you are feeling. If you like, my guardians and I can stick around with you for a little while… maybe take you home. Would you like that?"

She blinked and shrugged.

"I guess… you don't mind? What about your pilgrimage?" she asked.

"It can wait, and no, I don't mind," he smiled warmly and hugged her to his side. She blinked, then returned the hug.

"Auron! Jecht! Come on over!" He called after a few seconds. The two returned.

"So, uh…" Jecht rubbed the back of his head, "…it's sort of late, doncha think?"

Braska looked up at the sky, seeing it becoming darker by the minute. He nodded.

"Yes, I suppose so. We'll camp here, if that's okay with you Cricket," he turned to Sonja, who shrugged.

"It's fine…"

Braska smiled and nodded at her, then stood up and turned to his guardians.

"I fear leaving her by herself in her wounded condition, and if she should have any complications I would like to be able to help her. The pilgrimage is on hold for a few days."

"Huh. And we don't even have any recording spheres…" Jecht sighed.

"Why would we need them?" Auron asked, turning to him.

"Girl's tough," he nodded towards Sonja, "and I'd like to leave my boy something to compare himself to. Show him a real man!"

The other three just stared at him. After a few moments, he realized what he said.

"Gah! Woman! Woman! Sorry!"

"You want your son to grow up and be a real woman?" Auron raised an eyebrow. Jecht stared at him, his mouth open as if he were about to say something. After a while of saying nothing, he finally closed his mouth and grumbled, folding his arms across his chest and sitting down. Sonja smiled slightly in amusement, then sighed.

After helping gather wood, Sonja was instructed by her father to sit and rest.

"Sip on this," he told her, handing her a bottle of potion.

"Why?" she asked, looking at it.

"It will make you feel better. Believe me," he smiled. He started a fire, then sat beside her while Auron and Jecht sat across from them. Auron kept staring at Sonja, making her feel rather uncomfortable. After a short time, she glanced at him and sighed.

"Um… Sir Auron, is there something I can help you with?" she asked. He blinked, then shook his head.

"You just reminded me of someone… I don't know why… sorry, just suffering from a sudden painful memory," he shared looks with Braska, who sighed and lowered his head. Sonja tried to look confused at them, but failed. She just stared up at the sky.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$4

Jupp...


	13. Part II Chapter X

Hey, guys! This one's short, but it's my second one in the past two days! BTW, I forgot to mention my faithful reader, Justin! W00tage! Anyhow, I hope to put up another story here soon in the Inuyasha catergory, if you're interested.

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In the Summoner's Shadow

Part II chapter X

"How long shall we  
Mourn in the dark  
The bliss and the beauty  
Will not return  
Say farewell to sadness and grief  
Though long and hard the road  
May be"  
Blind Guardian, Nightfall

Braska watched Sonja with a smile as she slept gently, the campfire crackling slightly. He sighed for a moment, then reached towards her, smoothing down her long black hair. Auron's gaze met his hand on her head.

"Think it's her?" he asked. Braska blinked and looked over to him.

"Of course it's not…" he frowned and sighed.

"Who?" Jecht asked.

"She wasn't found… I help you look, remember?"

"Auron!" Braska shouted at him, then lowered his voice when Sonja mumbled in her sleep and rolled over. "Auron, I saw her die with my own two eyes. She's not alive anymore."

"But there's still that chance…" the younger man sighed with a hurt look on his face.

"Who are you talking about?" Jecht asked yet again.

"No, there's not! Just… stop talking about it!" Braska furiously pulled away from Sonja and rested his chin in his hand.

"Sorry," Auron lay on the ground and set his head in his hand which rested on the ground.

"I know… I know… you're just trying to keep her alive in memory. I tried that for a long while. I still do now days, but it just doesn't work…" the Summoner wiped his eyes of stray tears and looked at his Guardian.

"I loved her like my own daughter…" Auron opened his eyes and looked across the fire at sleeping Sonja.

"Yes, I know. She loved you like a father, too. You wouldn't believe all the things she did because of you! I think you were an awful influence on her!" Braska laughed slightly.

"On who?" Jecht still went ignored.

"Why do you say that?" Auron asked, amused.

"Well, when you got your sword and brought it over, she made up her mind that she wanted one, too, and stole her older sister's baby doll umbrella and carried it around on her shoulder!" Braska laughed at the memory. Auron smiled slightly.

"Who are you talking about!" Jecht stood up and shouted at them.

"No one! Ignore us!" Auron shouted back at him.

"Obviously it's someone!" he stared.

"Don't worry about it, Jecht. She was just someone we knew and loved," Braska smiled at him sadly.

"Lov_ed?_" Auron glared at him.

"You're right," Braska closed his eyes and nodded in agreement, then opened them again and stared at Sonja. "She's still loved even to this day, dead or not…"

Jecht stared over at Sonja and pointed at her.

"Who, her?" he raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"No! Someone she reminds us of," Braska explained.

"Whoever she is… she died?" Jecht asked. The other two lowered their heads in reverence.

"Yes… a very long time ago…" Braska was the first to speak after a moment of silence.

"Actually, only about a year ago…" Auron stared at him as if he was crazy.

"Days have become longer since her joy left," Braska wiped away his free tears. His guardians stared at him.

"Sorry, guys… it's just a very delicate topic… please, let's not speak of her again…" he said, lying down and slowly falling asleep.

Jecht turned to Auron.

"So, this chick that died meant something to him, eh?" he asked. Auron glared.

"Meant something to me, him, and little Yuna."

"Who was she exactly?"

"Don't worry about it. It's not important."

"I don't like secrets…"

"And I don't like people prying into my business!" Auron barked. Sonja blinked and sat up, then glared directly at them.

"Will you people PLEASE shut up! I'm trying to sleep!" With that, she laid back down and fell asleep.

"Just…" Auron sighed after a short time. "Just don't mention her. It hurts us all…"

Jecht blinked in utter confusion while the younger guardian fell asleep.

"You people are weird… this world is weird!" he sighed, then mumbled something to himself as he laid down and closed his eyes. His breathing came to a slow pace. Upon hearing this, Sonja rose from her spot and walked over to Braska.

"I love you, too, daddy… I miss you so much… being here just makes all our hearts ache with wishes that can't be fulfilled. Don't ever forget about me…" she kissed his cheek gently.

"And you," she stomped over to Auron. "Thanks for everything, Auwon! The self defense lessons… the sake… the friendship… the sake… the role model… the sake… everything!" she reached down and grabbed his keg. "And for old time's sake," she took a swig and put the keg back. "I'll take some good old time sake!"

She walked to Jecht and stared at him for a while.

"Yeah, I don't like you," she said plainly, then sighed. Without giving herself the pain of another glance at her old family, she turned into the night and raced off, making noiseless passage through the foliage.

"Perhaps we will meet again… this time under more intimate circumstances… which reminds me… I saved your life and refused to kill you. You saved mine by healing me. We're square… kind of…"


	14. Part II Chapter XI

Hey, guys! Sorry it took so long! The ole creativity valve is busted... Anyhow... new character in this chapter, and you WILL need this link to read the chapter: http/ you will know not what anyone is saying...

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In the Summoner's Shadow

Part II Chapter XI

Sonja walked into the shared room. Rufio, who was sitting on the couch reading a book, jumped up at her entrance and saluted to her. She saluted back, then sighed and fell into the armchair beside him.

"Something wrong, Lieutenant?"

"Is it that obvious?" she asked with a deep sigh. He nodded.

"Yeah, afraid so… by the way! If you haven't noticed yet, Ark and I have been working on our speech! Rye said you didn't like-"

"Who said that?" she glared. He blinked in surprise.

"Um… Rye?" He repeated. With a groan of anger and a glare of hate, she stormed out of the room and into the kitchen. The light was on, oddly enough… that always made her angry. She turned it off. Soon after that, she realized she needed it on, so sighed in frustration and turned the light back on again.

"We don't have anything alcoholic, do we?" She asked.

"No… and even if we did, you couldn't have any," spoke a voice. She shrugged.

"Ah, well…" She grabbed a glass and started to fill it with water, then paused and turned to where the voice had come from.

"Wait a minute…" she blinked and stared at the pantry door. Quietly walking over, she ripped the door from its half-open position on the hinges.

"Who are you?" she asked, staring at the man. A smile played on his lips and he shifted the box of cereal from one arm to the other, holding his hand out. His hands were gloved with thick leather, except for his fingertips and nails that were covered in dark colored oil and grime. Tucked under the ends of his gloves were maroon sleeves that joined to a long, white, button down lab-coat at the shoulders. Framing the man's face was thick, bouncy blonde hair that stuck up from his head in drooping spikes.

"Hi!" he greeted. "I'm Phenylalanine!" Sonja stared at him for a moment, then glanced down at his hand, shaking it rather sheepishly.

"Phen-a-la-li-la-li-who?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. He laughed.

"Phenylalanine! Don't worry; I get that a lot. You can just call me Phen, if you want."

She nodded. "Yeah, I just might… so… what are you doing here?" she asked.

"Oh! I see you've met Phen… he's the new recruit," Rye said, walking into the kitchen. Sonja turned from Phen and glared at Rye before walking out and heading to her room.

"What was that all about?" Phen asked, blinking and munching on the cereal. Rye chuckled a bit.

"We had a bit of a squabble a few days ago. She's still mad about it."

"Mind me asking what of? She seemed rather upset when she came in," Rufio asked as he walked into the kitchen and sat on the counter.

"Oh, she's just angry for, quote, destroying her only hopes at saving her father, close quote. I told her that no matter what she did, there was no way she could save Braska without one, revealing herself and her past and ultimately us to him, and two, killing Sin herself."

"Oh… she's so uptight about that… kind of makes me sad, though…" Rufio sighed and put his chin in his paw.

"Wait… her father is Lord Braska?" Phen choked on the cereal.

"Aye," Rye nodded. "The one and only."

"That's so cool! I know her mother!" he smiled. "She and I were sweethearts for a while, until her brother became jealous of my intelligence and forbade her from ever seeing me again…"

"Really? That's awesome…" Rufio smirked in amusement.

"And now I'm obeying the every beck and call of that beauty's creation…" Phen stared up at the ceiling as if thinking about something. "But wait… what is Yuna doing here? Things must have really gone bad after her mother's death for Braska, of all people, to allow his little girl to become an assassin…"

"Yuna? Who's that?" Ark asked, strolling to the pantry. He looked down at the floor when he realized he was stepping on the door, but shrugged and looked for something to eat.

"Never heard of any Yuna… no… wait… isn't that the name of Sonja's sister that she always talks about?" Rufio thought for a moment.

"Oh, yeah! I knew that! Tee-hee!" Ark giggled for half a second, then shrugged off his hunger and turned to face the others.

"Wait, so that's not Yuna in there? Odd… could have sworn that was the name of Braska's daughter…" Phen tapped his head. "At least, that's what her mother's frequent letters told me."

"Well, he had two as far as I know. Sonja and Yuna…" Rye mumbled, leaning against the counter.

"I never knew that…" Phen blinked.

"What a bunch of low lives… if you're gonna talk about me, make sure I'm around for it!" Sonja shouted at them, standing in the doorway.

"Pardon us, Lieutenant…" Ark bowed respectfully.

"Rye. Out. Now. Ark. Rufio. SkahZev is currently gray, and not his usual color of bluish silver. Fix it. Phen-a-whoever. My room. Now." She closed her eyes and turned, walking to her room.

"Wow… demanding…" Phen blinked. Rye nodded.

"Indeed…"

"She's a Summoner's daughter, of course she's demanding!" Rufio joked. He then whistled a few times. "SkahZev! Bath time!"

"See you boys later…" Rye sighed and left the apartment. Phen sighed and walked to Sonja's room. He opened the door and saw her sitting on her bed, staring at something. He couldn't see what it was.

"You wanted to see me, madam?" he asked. She looked up.

"Meaidahyhd."

"Pardon?" he asked.

"Oui femm navan du sa yc ouin Meaidahyhd," she told him. He blinked. Ah, yes… Al Bhed… with a smirk, he responded in his mother tongue.

"Oh, E raynt oui uh dryd… ed zicd cinbnecat sa dryd oui cbuga so myhkiyka …"

"Ruf luimt E hud, knufehk ib eh dra rusa uv Lord Braska?" she asked. "Bmayca, ryja y cayd."

He nodded and did so.

"Cunno… Ech'd ouin hysa Yuna?" he asked. She glared at him and barked in her native language.

"That would be my sister. Do NOT get us mixed up."

He nodded. "Right. Sorry."

"Cu, fro ryja oui zuehat dra Yccycceh'c Kiemt?" she asked after a moment of calming down.

"Well," he began with a sigh. "Ed geht uv ryc du taym fedr oui. Ouin ahdena vyimd!"

"Ruf cu?"

"E fyc aqemat vnus dra ahdena Ym Prat meddma vysemo knuib drehko, tuh'd ghuf fryd oui't lymm ed, ralg, fa tuh'd ghuf fryd FA lymm ed, pid E fyc aqemat vnus ed dryhgc du Let, ouin ihlma, fru palysa zaymuic uv so sahdym ypemedeac yht druikrd E syta res muug pyt, cu teth'd fyhd sa ynuiht yhosuna cehla E lrymmahkat rec bmyla yc maytan!"

Sonja stared at the man before her. If his way of speaking entire paragraphs in a single breath wasn't odd enough, his feet were enveloped in…

"Fuzzy pink bunny slippers?" she muttered to herself. Phen looked down.

"Oh, yeah! They're real comfortable!" he smiled. Two antennae protruding from his forehead bounced around as he tilted his head to the side and smirked broadly while closing his eyes.

"Pid, pycelymmo, frah ra raynt dryd ouin sudran ryt nih uvv yht kuddah synneat yht fyc cuuh yvdan bnakhyda, ra druikrd E ryt tuha ed yht ed fyc ymm so vyimd yht aqemat sa yht E ryt hu frana du ku. E'ja paah fungehk pylgcdyka vun y muhk desa rana, pid zicd nalahdmo drao taletat du cdelg sa fedr oui! Esykeha, sa fedr dra makahtyno yccycceh! Ajanouha eh dra ahdena kiemt ghufc fru oui yna yht drao'na ymm clynat uv oui!" He continued. She held her hand out to stop him.

"Yeah, yeah. That's nice… but… might I ask about those?" she nodded towards him. He blinked.

"Ask about what?" he tilted his head to the other side.

"Ask about what! Ask about that!" she reached up and flicked one of the antennae. He screamed suddenly and stepped back, turning his head away from her.

"HU DUILREA!" He told her, swiping at her hand.

"Well, what are they?" she asked, staring at him.

"They're hypersensitive nervous receptors. Basically, what they do, is heighten my senses." He told her. She stared at him.

"Why?" she asked.

"Well, the thing is, I was born without three of the five senses, and when I was very young, I was deafened by an explosion and blinded by a disease. During that time, though, I was able to learn a lot of stuff, and apparently, it was enough data to design, build, and install these. They gave me the ability to feel, hear, smell, see, and taste."

"And you said you installed them yourself?" she asked. "How did you do that?"

"Drilled through my skull and connected sensitive wires into the parts of my brain that controlled the senses. Pain was the last receptor I installed. Kind of smart, huh?" he smiled. She nodded.

"You are one crazy Al Bhed…"

"Mad Scientist at your service! Emphasis on Mad!" he smiled and saluted so hard against his fore head that his goggles fell down around his neck. He shrugged and left them there.

She smiled. "Right. So, what exactly could you contribute to this organization? You don't seem athletic enough to go out and kill someone…"

"Aha! You see, that's the thing! I'm not! I'll show you how to do this!" He pulled her out of her room and into the living room, where he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small grey box. He smiled and pressed a black button on the side. He then threw it at the wall. A door appeared on the wall, followed by a loud roar and a strong rumble. When the earthquake like tremor stopped, he opened the door and pulled her into a new room she never knew was there.

"What the?" she asked, looking around.

It was a large, rectangular room with about twelve feet between the floor and the lofts that hung over head. The entire bottom floor was nothing but a computer. The only light in the entire place was from a small lamp that hung over a corner under a desk on the loft above. Everything else was illuminated by the cerulean glow of the computer screen and the pea green flicker that came from the power indicator of the scanner/printer/copier/coffee maker/can opener/ stereo system.

Everything was covered in papers, some crinkled, some strait, some in manila folders and other in accordion files almost as tall as Sonja herself. Several piles of papers had fallen over and some were leaning in that direction… literally. Sonja yelped and jumped to the side when one almost fell on her. This place was anything but organized. The wall with the door was nothing but a huge file cabinet with two rows of five file drawers missing to make room for the door. Five file drawers supported a long wooden plank that had a pillow and a blanket thrown over it. Two files over, another drawer hung out, this one containing two pairs of goggles, one red and the other blue, and a remote controller big enough to be effectively used as a weapon, especially if hurled across the room at an intruder, who undoubtedly would be lost amongst the forest of paper piles and swamps of random notes, stick'ems, envelopes, discarded letters, unpaid bills and laughed-at flames from Cid. Three pieces of duct tape on the back and side confirmed that her idea had been used once, if not more.

Next to the computer monitor, nailed to the wall, was a polished redwood picture board carved with delicacy. Posted onto it were several hundreds of letters, all from the same woman. Sonja walked over to it and put her hand on one of the letters.

_Tayn Phen…Fa'ja tuha ed. Pnycgy yht E vehymmo kud dra luinyka yht nyh uvv dukadran. Eh dfu tyoc, fa femm pa synneat. Pnudran fuh'd pa duu rybbo ypuid dryd, E lyh kiynyhdaa. Oui ghuf fryd, druikr? Ra'mm kad ujan ed. E bnuseca res. Oui ghuf, E nydran fecr ed fana oui E's nihhehk yfyo fedr, pid… E tuh'd ghuf. Dra funmt ec kuehk du ryja ahuikr dnuipma lubehk fedr yh Ym Prat/Oajuheda synneyka. E tuh'd ghuf ruf drao fuimt luba fedr y… famm, y Oui/yhouha synneyka. Hud du pa uvvahceja yht oui ghuf E't hajan syga vih uv oui. E ymnayto tet ahuikr uv dryd eh dra umt tyoc. Famm, Pnycgy cahtc rec knaadehkc! Ra cyoc du ehjeda oui du uin fattehk, pid E ghuf oui fuh'd pa ypma du lusa. Hud dryd oui fuimt. Oui'na duu cgeddecr yc du fryd baubma femm drehg uv ouin ryhtelybc! Kad ujan ed! E lussyht oui! Huf! Tu ed! Ry-ry! Zicd gettehk, ymdruikr oui tu haat du ujanlusa dryd vayn. Haqd desa E fneda, E'mm pa Secc Pnycgy! E's cu rybbo! E't paddan ku pavuna E cdynd nyhdehk uh yht uh ypuid res. Dymg du oui mydan! Muja oy! Poa!_

_Cekhat, Oui ghuf fru!_

"That's from…" Sonja gasped and stroked it.

"Your mother… that's right… here's this one…" he sighed, pulled one down from the board, and handed it to her.

_Hey, Phenalalalalalanine! Kuut hafc! Pnudran "vunkejac sa vun paehk cu cdibet" yht ryc ehjedat sa du lusa pylg vun y meddma frema! Dryd'c kuut. E nydran haat y pnayg vnus Oihy yht Pnycgy. Druca faentuac yna tnejehk sa lnywo! Syopa oui cruimt lusa cbaht cusa desa rana. Drao sekrd tneja oui hunsym! Ur, huf, fryd vih fuimt dryd pa, nekrd? Caneuicmo, druikr, oui tu haat du lusa ujan, un fa haat du ku du ouin bmyla vun y frema. E ryjah'd caah oui eh vunajan! E secc oui cu silr! Oui sekrd hud pa so uha dnia muja, pid oui yna mega so ufh meddma pnudran! Cbaygehk uv pnudranc, E tu haat du ku bylg so pykc. Dra creb E's mayjehk uh ec cibbucat du mayja bund eh y vaf ruinc. E'mm fneda frah E kad drana! Muja oy!_

_Poa! Cekhat, Sa!_

"Wha…" Sonja read it and blinked.

"That was the last letter I ever received from her… six hours later, she died." He lowered his head and sighed sadly. Sonja sighed and handed the letter back.

"I see… so, you knew my mother?" she asked and looked up at him.

"Obviously," he told her. She sighed.

"You knew Daddy too?" she asked, sitting in the spinning chair. He nodded.

"Yeah. Funny thing about Braska and I… we both loved your mother so much, but neither of us seemed jealous of the other, and at least, I didn't feel jealous of him, and he never showed signs of hostility towards me. We just… met one day and became fast friends. Actually, I helped him pull a few tricks on your uncle!" he laughed. Sonja smirked slightly.

"Funny… I don't remember Daddy mentioning anything about a crazy, hyper-whatevered Al Bhed mad scientist…" Sonja tilted her head to the side.

"I'm not really all that exciting…" he scoffed. After a few moments of both of them silent as the grave, Sonja looked up.

"So, um… how exactly is it that you take care of your assignments without leaving?" she asked. He sighed.

"Well, as soon as I get one I'll show you. I really don't want to kill any innocent person… you know the guild's outlook on that…"

"Yes, just as bad as terminating an assignment, but you said you'd show me!" she reminded him.

"Rumo csugac, fusyh! I'll show you when I get an assignment! Besides, the Generals already warned me several times about my satellite lasers and I was suspended for a little while because I was testing them and took out a few people…"

"Wait… satellite lasers!" she gaped. He smiled and nodded.

"Yep! I can see exactly what any one person is doing at any time in any place, and I can hear exactly what they're saying and who's saying what to them, and where they're going and what they're doing and who they're seeing and then when I get bored with them, I can shoot a nanoscopic laser at them and fry their brain in a quarter of a second from a laser up in space."

"Nanoscopic?" she asked. "Is that even a word?"

"No… well, now it is… it's something that I've developed. Basically, I use it to describe things that are so microscopic that microscopic finds it microscopic!"

She stared at him and his goofy smile, then sighed and held her hand out.

"Welcome aboard, Phenalooloo!" he took her hand and shook it.

"You have the same pronunciation problem as your mother! I think I'm gonna like this!" he then stopped and blinked. "Wait, being Lord Braska's daughter, aren't you kind of don't know… religious? Pious, I guess the word would be?"

"Well, I'm religious, but I'm not devout about it… the whole Teachings ordeal confuses me, and I can't really grasp onto it as a firm foundation of faith yet…"

"Hrm… you know, you're really mature for someone your age… I'm pretty sure I'm gonna like working with you!" he patted her shoulder and then pushed her out of his lab.

"Now don't come in here! You'll get lost! Must go to work! You know, people to find, things to hear, stuff to zap! Okay, love ya, bye bye!" He waved and the door to his lab slammed shut. Sonja stared at it for a while, and then decided a nap would be nice.

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REVIEW! PLEASE! 


	15. Part II Chapter XII

Hey, sorry for the slow - to - update, guys... here ya go. The song is "Go rest high on that mountain" by... I'm not sure exactly, but I don't own it, although I changed a few words. This chapter was mainly inspired off the death of my best friend ever, which was thanksgiving. sigh Well... happy readings! (Btw, if you know who sings that song, leave it in a review, please!)

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In the Summoner's Shadow

Part II Chapter XII

It was the second month Phen had been with Sonja and her squadron. It was the second month of a long passing period of Rufio hating the antennae-ed Al Bhed. It was the second month of Sonja becoming irate at the Ronso for the Al Bhed stealing her cheese and blaming it on Ark and Rufio, with the logic that, "They are felines and thus are attracted to milk, so why wouldn't they take your beloved cheddar?" It was the second month of a deep loathing manifesting itself in the bosom of Ark for blaming the loss of the cheese on him. It was, after all, not his fault! He only took the cheese on Tuesdays. It was Phen Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday!

Through all this, it was the first month of a deep love Sonja had developed for a small rectangular machina that had two slots in the top and a lever on the side. One would put bread inside for a few moments and it would come out nice and warm. Phen called it "Toaster." It made Sonja's favorite food. In fact, it was this food drowned in butter and lathered with a red, sugary syrup type of substance Rye referred to as "strawberry jelly" that she was eating when she received news that did not hit her stomach as well as the toast…

"Lieutenant!" Rufio shouted, running in. "You're not gonna believe it!" he called.

"I don't think you'll want to believe it!" Ark called, following his brother.

"Oh, dear…. Dare I ask?" she stood and greeted them.

"It's… Lord Braska…" Rufio panted, coming to a stop infront of Sonja and holding himself up by putting his hands on his knees.

"Whew! Actually, Rufe, wouldn't it be…ayah! High Summoner Lord Braska?"

"Yeah, well…" he shrugged. Sonja waited for the news, then blinked.

"Wait… what? S… say that again?"

The twins exchanged sad glances, then Ark hugged her tightly.

"Your father…" he broke the hug and looked her in the eye, "… he defeated Sin just a few moments ago… an hour at the most… now, listen Lieutenant, I don't want you going off and doi…"

Sonja stared forward at Ark. Her eyes locked onto the place where no horn grew above his brow and her mind fell away into the deeper parts of her conscience. His voice drifted off into nothing but incomprehensible murmuring.

Braska… lost to her forever, she thought. He was dead. She'd never get to see him again… ever… never… and Auron was his guardian… he would be lost too… and… Yuna? What of her? Braska surely would not have left on a Pilgrimage if Yuna were still alive. He would only do it if he did not have anyone else to take care of… right? Of course…

"… and we're here for you!" she finally realized that Ark was still speaking. She lowered her gaze from his, then pushed out of his strong Ronso hold and ran from the room.

"Lieutenant! Wait!" he called, but she was already too far gone. She ran past everyone she'd ever trained, talked to, and seen in the guild, and continued to run until she came to the surface of the Spirian soil. In disbelief at what the boys told her, Sonja frantically looked around until she found someone. She approached them.

"Excuse me…" she tugged on a man's coat sleeve, breaking him from his conversation with another man and a woman. "…Is it true that Lord Braska defeated Sin?"

"Hrph… I hate kids…" he complained and turned away from her. She glared.

"You're rude!" she told him. The woman nodded.

"I agree!" she then turned to Sonja. "Yes, Lord Braska did win against Sin!"

"At least for a little while. We'll never be rid of that creature…" the first man scoffed.

"Don't say that infront of children!" The other man smacked him. Sonja stared down at her feet in defeat and walked away, nodding her thanks. She kicked at a random stone on the ground, then with a burst of energy, ran strait for the shore of Kilika, where she stared out towards the water, scanning the horizon for any sign of the giant monstrosity.

"They've got to be lying…," she told herself, lying aloud to no one.

"They're all lying! All of them! Every last one! I know you're out there you slimy bag of crap! Show yourself, Sin! I dare you! NOW!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, a flock of sand pipers squeaking their little calls and flying off at the sudden roar of desperation. She watched them fly off. Her gaze stopped at the setting sun, staring strait into it. "Daddy…" she choked on her tears.

"I can't believe you left me… you ... you stupid lesbian midget left-handed albino ninja!" she screamed into the air. A wave of salty ocean water hit the sand bar where she stood. The spray moistened her breeze whipped ebony locks. She sighed and sat down, still staring off into the sunset.

The sea slowly became more and more active, having more waves and splashes. So Sin was gone; his presence made the ebb and flow of the ocean abnormal, considering he had a tendency to draw the water to him. Now there was no gravitational force from the large manifestation of the countless iniquities of the world… or, at least that is what Braska had taught her and her sister under the influence of the Yevonite teachings.

She thought back a while, remembering one time when he brought the girls with him during one of his missions. Auron, the usual babysitter, was busy with a meeting the warrior monks were holding, his "monkie business," as Sonja once dubbed it.

Braska brought the girls with him to a meeting of all the Yevonite missionaries that were supposed to be spreading the teachings to those who did not believe. That's where Sonja had the joy of running around, shaking hands with different priests and preachers. She had fun with it. Her favorite part was meeting Maester Jyscal. She spent the next week and a half gloating over his comment, "Such a beautiful young woman, and so fine tuned in her manners. Braska, you have done a wonderful job raising this child…"  
She loved getting the privilege of shaking his hand and impressing him with the perfection of her prayer bow. She remembered over hearing the Maester speaking to her father about something pertaining to Jyscal not condoning Braska for wedding and bedding an Al-Bhed. She remembered him finishing with a simple, "half-breeds run amongst the faithful,"

She did not know what he meant by it then… she still did not know, and had long gone past the point of caring. Besides, she did not know many things

There were many things she didn't know. Most, she probably didn't want to know, and almost everything she KNEW she didn't want to know. One thing she did want to know, though, was how something so evil could come from something so good? There was no way she was related to Braska.

He was kind; she was not. He helped without being asked, while she enjoyed sitting back and laughing at the burdened. His eyes were a bright lovely and soft blue while hers were a determined and powerful gold like none else on the face of Spira. His soul was concreted to the teachings of Yevon with a solidity that could never be wavered or broken from his beliefs. She, on the other hand… she had recently began to doubt what her father taught her about the religion, and often gave up on things with no reason for it. She jokingly though she must have been adopted…

"Daddy… I'm… sorry…" Sonja fell to her knees and bowed her head, her eyes tearing up and threatening to break the barriers of her eyelids and moisten her cheeks. Not that it would matter. She was alone, and her face was wet enough from the wild spray of the sea against her.

"I'm so sorry!" she repeated before clenching her fists and throwing her head back while shouting into the sky- "I'M SO SORRY!"

Sonja's voice was choked on tears and coughs of sadness. She began to blubber when she spoke, her mouth positioned in an awkward position that made it hard to speak fluently.

"I'm sorry, daddy! I could have saved you! Lucientio would have died instead, and you would still be here for me! Daddy! Daddy, I'm sorry! Forgive me! Please! PLEASE!"

A single passerby stopped and watched her screaming out in fury and hatred for herself, and longing and love for her dearly departed. He stood and watched her crying for a short while, shaking his head pitifully. Sonja, however, did not notice the Ronso behind her. She did not notice his short stature or broken horn, either. She did not notice the slightly taller, horned one that crept up behind her and wrapped his furry arms about her.

"Sonja…" he sighed and kissed her head. Rufio lifted her against his chest and hugged her tightly. "…come on in…"

She pushed him away. "Go away!" she shouted when he lifted her from the ground. He set her down.  
"You'll get sick out here. It's getting cold," he pointed out, only to be attacked by her sharp daggers.

"I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE!" She screamed, causing the towns people all the way back in town to turn towards the noise.

"Sonja! Shut up! Just come on! Please? You can come back in the morning. It's dark now; you've been out here for hours!" He pleaded.

"I am NOT leaving Daddy out there!" she yelled.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. "He's dead already! There's nothing you can do about it!"

"Shut up, Rufio! You have no proof whether he lives or not! Just go away and leave me alone! I'm. Not. Leaving!"

Rufio stared at her, a deep growl growing in the back of his throat. He did not know where this argument had come from, and neither did she. She especially did not know the conversation between her father and his guardian was almost exactly like the one she just had.

_"Braska, come inside. It's cold out. You'll catch a fever…" Auron's sympathetic, yet demanding voice whispered in the night air._

_"I'm not leaving my baby out there all alone in the freezing weather, half dead!" He shook the future guardian's hand off and continued walking around, calling out for the young lass lost just hours earlier. _

_"Braska, don't be stupi-"_

_"I said I'm not going anywhere with out her, Auron! If you're so worried about health, why don't YOU go inside?" _

_Auron was startled. He had never heard his friend speak in this tone of voice before._

_"You realize she's most likely already dead, with out a thing for you to do for her…" _

_"Leave me alone…" was Braska's feeble plea, his heart apparently broken in more than one direction._

_"I want to go look for her, too, but we have to wait for morning. If we're too sick from fever to even get out of bed, how are we going to help her out of the forest? That's assuming she's alive, now…"_

_"Auron… if you cared for her… even in the slightest bit… even so much as to recognize her existence… you'd come help me look…"Braska's gentle, whispered command sent shivers of … fear… down Auron's spine. The young man sighed and shook his head, staring at his older friend. _

_"I'm… sorry, Braska… I loved her more than anything, and you know it… but… it's just impossible for her to even be lying out there with a heart beat, if that creature was as powerful as you say it was… please… come inside. We'll go look for her body tomorrow, and have the first Summoner through this way give her a proper sending…"_

_"NO! I will not accept that, Auron! You and your pessimistic mind may think that she is gone already, but she is not! I cannot accept it! I just… can't…"_

Sonja fell to her knees, shaking her head.

"I just can't accept it, Rufio…"

"I know you can't, Nightwish… but you must come inside… please?" he asked, one last time.

"… No…" she shook her head and stared into the windy sea, the spray of the water splashing her face.

"Alright…" he sighed and wrapped his furry and feathery cape around her shoulders. " Come in if you get cold, promise?" He walked away after she didn't answer him, a sigh in his furry lips.

After several minutes of kneeling there on the ground, her eyes watery with tears and her cheeks almost frosting from the sea water and the cold air, she stood onto her bare, stiff and dead feet, crossing the cliff to come to rest on the sands of the beach, the natural waves lapping up to her ankles, warming them for split seconds before the cold night air kissed its freeze upon them again. The tide ebbed and flowed as if happy to be free from Sin's massive gravitational force, its being having more power over the waters than the moon itself.

"The whole world rejoices when Sin is gone," she knelt down and pressed a hand to the soft sand, it curling around her fingers and palm like so many ants over a honeyed biscuit. The wind moaned around the cliffs and trees, singing what Sonja recognized as the first three notes of the all too famous Hymn.

"The whole world comes alive and rejoices at the defeat of that terrible monster… the whole world except one lonely little lost child, left by herself in the night to mourn her beloved, lost twice father and fallen sister… she alone is there to cry and shed tears over a single death for which the rest of existence cries in joy… you didn't think about that solitary girl, did you, Daddy?"

The wind became quiet, as if reluctant to make a noise in fear that she would think it was answering her, and banish it from her forever.

"You didn't think about me, Daddy…" she knelt in the sand and began to write in the sand, her fingers curling and curving gently and easily with every stroke she made. Every line spoke of his hardships in life, the disowning of him by his family when he took the hand of her mother in sacred matrimony… the foul words shouted at him as he took that drunkard guardian as his protector… the dirty looks he endured as they were shot at Yuna… all of this on top of losing his only beloved to the terrible Sin. The same terrible Sin he also died at the hands of.

_I know your life on Earth was troubled,_

_Only you could know the pain._

_You weren't afraid to face the devil._

_You're no stranger to the rain…_

No, Braska was not afraid of Sin. He was not afraid of anything! At least, she never saw him afraid of anything… except for the one time when Sonja and Yuna were making him a surprise Breakfast-in-bed and Yuna was in charge of getting down the knives from the top shelf out of their reach so Sonja, the more agile in the hands, could cut little hearts and bears out of the toast. Braska walked in on them, scaring Yuna out of her balance. She fell, the knives after her, though they missed her. They did hit Sonja, though- one in the hand that was guarding her face, one in the elbow, and one in the ankle. Braska was scared then. Scared that Yuna had cracked her skull open from that fall, although she had no more than a twisted wrist and broken arm, and scared that Sonja was bleeding too quickly for a mortal, though the young girl healed within a few days. That's what Braska was ever scared of… the safety of his little babies. He was not scared of Sin, though. He faced it strait in the eyes, a fiery determination in him stronger than that of even that creature despised by Spira. He had won. Fear had no power over a man so great.

_Go rest high on that mountain. _

_Dad, your work on Earth is done._

_Go to Heaven a'shoutin'_

_Love for the Father and the Son_

Once written that verse, she paused and wiped her eyes clear of the tears, extra salty from the sea mist splashing on her face. She stood, staring out into the ocean, longing to see a boat come sailing in, the sails unfurled in the wind, catching every gust that it could… and… to see on the bow of that boat… a man, gentle blue eyes with a soft smile hardened by years of discord and hate… a man, one she'd run to screaming out loving names of affection while he would kneel before her, open arms, ready to receive her gift of tenderness and love, the only gift she could ever give him worthy enough of a father's devotion- one he didn't have to emit, but did anyway.

He was gone now, though… she knew it… and as she knew it, a few words came to her mouth and spoke without her consent, her soft voice singing, helped along by the wind:

_Oh, how I cried the day you left me_

_I wanted to see your grave to grieve._

_I wish I could see our family's faces_

_When they hear your sweet voice sing._

She sounded a bit shaky to herself, maybe from the shivering of the cold or the emptiness of her stomach, or even the loneliness of her standing barefoot, nothing but a cape in the dark moonless night, the first six hours of her father's Calm.

She felt the wind pick up so strong as to force her hung head upwards and face the sky, the stars dancing amongst themselves as the anti-day's only light. Even the stars were happy; they giggled and twinkled with laughter in the atmosphere, their gentle sparkling radiating the joy of the universe. The whole world was rejoicing now that Sin was gone. Sonja again felt her voice lifted up to those stars, as if encouraged to sing by some outside force, one that she felt whole with.

_Go rest high on that mountain,_

_Dad, your work on Earth is done._

_Go to Heaven a shouting, _

_Love for the Father and the Son._

The young girl fell to her knees again, her eyes closed against the bitterness of the night. Her thoughts were fully upon her father and his death. She prayed silently to herself for his safe, gentle, and easy passage into the Far Plane… not that she would ever go see him. That place frightened her. Braska had taken her and Yuna there once to see their mother, but Sonja, for the life of her, would not enter that sacred realm.

"Go, Father, and find Mother and Yuna… keep them safe… I'm coming, too…"

With that, she laid in the cold sand and closed her eyes, clutching the cape around her shoulders for a final comfort, feeling as if she were being hugged as darkness and silence surrounded her forcefully enough to hurt her sides, yet there was a tenderness about it, a tenderness of caring and love and sadness, yet anger at her for choosing to do what she just implied. Maybe it was the cold playing on her lungs. Maybe finally they would freeze and she would…


	16. Part II Chapter XIII

Hey. Well, my only reader already got this, but just incase there are some of you out there who read this and don't tell me about it... you really should. Just leave a review saying, "Hi!" or something so I know some one more than KYMBOWHEE exists out there!

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In the Summoner's Shadow

Part II Chapter XIII

"Maybe… you should go looking for her…"

The voice belonged to the white Ronso- smooth, warm, and soft like the snowy fur covering his abnormal tiger-like self. The youngest assassin remained quiet.

"Please? I'll help if you want me to…"

Sonja merely wiped her nose on her furry arm-bracer and buried everything nose-down into the crook of her knee-topping elbow.

"Look, I've been with Rufio since the day we were born. I wouldn't want to lose him! I would hate it! I don't know what I would do if I lost my brother. If there's any chance that Yuna's still alive, I want you to find her and be with her during this time, at the least!" Ark's arms were held out to his sides.

"First off," her voice was softer than the air that blew in from the sea. She spoke so gently that Ark was sure the human at his side didn't even know she'd begun talking. Rufio and Rye, however, looked at her with interest. "…Father wouldn't have left on a suicidal journey unless he didn't have a little girl to take care of. Yuna's dead. Second off…" her voice became clearer and a bit louder, "…if you cared so much about my having a sibling, why did you wait until now!"

The sudden shout caused them all to blink and flinch.

Sonja continued to stare off into the sea, her hair soaked and blown by the misty ocean air. "Run free, dear tide, now that you no longer have Sin to keep you locked about him… run wild and get rid of its poison. You and I may be the only ones who truly understand the magnitude of Daddy's death…" she whispered, the salty wind kissing her cheeks harshly with its cold and speed.

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant, I…I just…" Ark started, but didn't know how to finish. His twin picked up the thought track and kept the conversation going.

"We just didn't want to go against your wishes and find her without your permission is all. Look, you may say you think she's dead. We think our parents are dead, but in our hearts we know they're still out there somewhere, looking for their lost little boys. We keep our eyes peeled. We have no clue what they look like, but we know we'll know them when we see them," Rufio spoke.

"It wouldn't take any time at all to find her using my satellite, Lieutenant. The only thing I'd need is some DNA from you to match up with hers," Phen offered. Sonja found it odd that it was the two younger assassins comforting her rather than the two oldest ones, the absolute oldest of which just stood there patiently, his arms folded across his chest, his eyes closed and tail flicking back and forth.

"I know Lord Braska would want his daughters split up if they were both alive, but apparently, as one things, the other is not, so why bother? The High Summoner clearly didn't bother when the youngest went missing…"

The young girl sighed. Only one person among them could be that cold… that cruel, that hostile and plainly, that ancient when speaking to a heart-broken lass.

"Daddy didn't… he didn't leave me if that's what you're implying. He had reasons for not searching, and you know it, Rye," her voice seemed to growl, even though she knew it was coming from the silver wolf at her side.

Again, the possibly oldest thing in the world, old enough to make Sin look a toddler, spoke. "He has a title, you know. You should address your savoir by the hard earned, well deserved name. I'm amazed his own loving daughter would defile that crown the way she does."

The crude laugher was a chuckle of indifference towards her feelings.

"He was 'Daddy' long before he was ever even though to be 'Lord Braska'," her glare was matched with the ferocity of SkahZev's fanged snarling bark, "He was the center of my world previous to being the winner of time for yours…"

"Well, what ever you say, he's still the High Summoner. You should call him by what he's honored with!"

"The honor of 'Daddy' is greater than any degree of 'Summoner' or 'Maester' or anything like that!" SkahZev followed up his owner's yell with a bark of anger.

Rufio, Ark, and Phen stared forward at the sight of their Lieutenant back-talking her trainer, a big no-no in the Guild.

"Not in public, Nightwish," Rye merely stepped away from her as she stood up and faced him, her teeth bared and hands away from her sides, ready to produce her daggers at any given second. "Besides, you would lose."

Sonja's sheer emotion kept her teeth gritted together and her dagger suddenly at Rye's throat, his old age bending his spine perfectly to meet her tip-toed height.

There were tears in her eyes. One rolled down a long mark on her cheek bone by her ear.

"_I can't believe you smashed Yuna's head into the wall!" Auron chided, mending to a deep cut on the edge of Sonja's young face. It was bleeding fiercely, threatening to penetrate the guaze pad Auron held to it._

"_I didn't slam her head into a wall! I punched her in the gut and she fell back, tripped over her all precious blocks, and went tumbling backwards into the wall!" Sonja glared, jumping up and down in anger at having gotten in trouble for something so simple as that._

"_Sonja! For Yevon's Sake, hold still!" Auron's thick fingers thumped harshly against the little girl's opposite eyebrow, causing her to yelp and hold it tightly in pain, though she did stop jumping around. "Well, whatever it was you did you Yuna, it wasn't nice!"_

"_Fair isn't always nice, Auwon!" She reached up and poked his nose. His hand strayed from her cut for a moment to bring her hand back down to her side._

_"Don't use my own logic against me, kiddo. But what did she do to verify THAT as fair?" he asked._

"_She called me bad stuff! Ow!" she yelped when Auron pressed a wet rag against her cheek. "How big is that thing, anyways!"_

"_Well, it's from here…" his middle finger touched at her eyebrow, "…to here…" his pointer touched just above her ear, "… and all the way down to here," his massive hand easily allowed his thumb to press against her collar bone._

"_Wow! It don't hurt that much!" she blinked. That part hurt, though. However, she wouldn't tell that to Auron. She had to be strong around her mentor and best friend!_

"_Probably because the cut is deep enough to sever the nerve line to the pain central of your brain. Sorry, kiddo. So, what names did Yuna call you to make it a REQUIREMENT that your father come all the way across town to have me run over here and Dragon Fang the two of you apart!_

"_She called me dumb because I didn't put her blocks up right, then called me stupid for not being able to tell the red from the orange!"_

_Auron sighed. Sonja was temporarily colorblind, so the healers and random Al-Bhed optometrists said when Braska took her to them to see why she always colored the color-by-number sheets he made for the girls wrong. They said she'd grow out of it eventually, possibly by the time she was three… "A blessing of Yevon," as one of the Maesters already started using her to preach in the town, pulling her out of the congregation and shaking her above his head for the gathered worshipers to behold. Braska and Yuna felt it an honor to see her named a miracle, proclaimed before the faithful. Auron and Sonja herself found it an embarrassing display and exploitation._

"_You know, 'stupid' and 'dumb' aren't really bad words," he blew on the cleaning solution dabbed onto the wound, trying to help ease the pain of the sting that would be coming soon._

"_Daddy says they are… ow… ow owow!" She stared jumping slightly. Auron held her chin firmly in his fore finger and thumb. She remained still except for the stomping of her feet. He continued to blow on her half-missing cheek. A thought played on his mind while he tried to offer her comfort: "Braska, you old thing! If you consider meager kids' name calling offensive, foul language, how ever do you communicate more than two words with the girls' uncle?"_

_Auron sighed again, wishing he knew white magic. It would make this ordeal so much easier._

"_Yuna's name calling made you mad enough to hit her? You let your emotions show through your visage? That's not very warrior like, is it?" Auron asked._

"_What do you mean?" She asked, wincing as a tear rolled out of her eye onto the exposed hypodermis, the salt causing it to ache like crazy._

"_You wanted me to start training you to be a Warrior Monk like me, right?" he smirked. She nodded as he rubbed a cooling white cream on her face from a small tube. _

"_Alright then," he picked her up under her arms and sat back on Braska's bed, his knees aching from holding the stance he had while tending to his little "ward." He rested her in the lap of his cross-legged position. _

"_Well, your first lesson is this: never let the opponent tell your emotions. The best way to intimidate them is to laugh when they try and make you mad, or even shout a come-back when they insult you. No matter what, though, do NOT let them be able to tell if you're getting angry. If you get angry, you stop thinking, and thinking is half the battle. Understand, kiddo?" he asked, watching her golden eyes sparkle with interest._

"_Yes, sir!" she nodded vigorously, a bright smile on her face._

_He laughed and rubbed her shoulder length black hair warmly. "You'll not only be the first female Warrior Monk, you'll be the best ever!"_

_This brought a bright glow to her mutilated face and she hugged him as tightly as her tiny arms could allow on his massive chest._

"_Just don't tell your pops I'm giving you lessons. You remember how he reacted when you told him what you wanted to be when you grew up…"_

Sonja was wrenched from her memories by a fossilized, yet immensely powerful Ronso arm that clenched the paw around her throat and lifted her clear off the ground and over head, a powerful slam enforcing her to the ground.

"Hm. Lieutenant's a bit off with her fighting skills, isn't she?" Rye smiled and stepped on her chest, holding her against the ground like he did so often when he tried to get a point across to her. "Lord Braska is High Summoner now. That means he's dead. By definition of the transitive property, your father, Lord Braska, the High Summoner, is dead. Get up. Move on. You have work to do."

A gasp was emitted from the twins and their technician as they watched the young girl slide across the slick grass towards the edge of the cliff she was sitting on before.

"Don't any body move," Rye roared, then smashed his foot against SkahZev's barking face, treating him to the same mode of transportation to the cliff as his "Sister."

Sonja yelped in shock and grabbed hold to the edge of the earth, just above a ten foot drop to a shallow pool filled with sharp, tiny rocks and possibly several hungry water fiends waiting for manna from the heavens.

SkahZev's relatively small claws dug into the ground of the cliff, one paw extended far into the soil of the grass while the other paw clung for dear life to the edge, right beside his muzzle-chin. Rye walked to the edge, one food on the young hand of Sonja, the other on the tiny paw of the wolf pup beside her.

"You've been dead to the man for years. Just think of the time now as pay back," Rye said, and with a heartless smile left her there, walking off back towards the entrance to the Guild.

When he was out of sight, Ark and Rufio leapt to immediately pulling Sonja up from her dangerous, deathly dangle above the gathering lizard-like fish below her, some jumping out of the water to try and bite at her feet. Phen, as weak as he was, struggled to pull the wolf pup on ground, yet he finally managed to do so.

"You okay, Lieutenant?" Rufio asked, patting her back gently.

"I'm fine!" she barked, thrusting their helping paws aside, out of her way and out of her face. "Give me my space," she demanded, panting.

SkahZev whined slightly and licked at his stepped on paw, then looked at Sonja, his gold eyes meeting hers for a few seconds. When she had received his notification of his being alright, she glared forward at the retreating silhouette of Rye.

"Pay back, eh? Yeah… you'll get your pay-back… you just wait, you damn dirty son of a…" she wiped her mouth in frustration, tasting the iron tinge of blood in her mouth. More than likely, it was forced up with the vehement kick to the stomach she received that sent her sliding to the fatal position she was in just a few moments ago.

"Come on, guys… we have work to do…" she muttered, rising from her kneeling stance and walking after Rye.

* * *

Well, last time I offered free rum, I got people to at least drop me a line... so... 

EVERYONE WHO REVIEWS GETS A FREE AURON TO HUGGLE! XD ANYONE WHO JUST SAYS "HI!" GETS A BIG, WHITE, FLUFFY KITTY NAMED ARK TO CUDDLE!

REVIEW!


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